# One of the Best explained — On a Chinese Screen

> Chapter companion for On a Chinese Screen by W. Somerset Maugham.

## What happens

The chapter introduces a nameless, middle-aged bachelor who is highly regarded in the port community as 'one of the best.' He is cheerful, sociable, and generous, yet openly despises China and its people after thirty years of residence, refusing to learn the language or engage with Chinese culture. His interests remain firmly fixed on London musical comedies and Western amusements, revealing a profound cultural isolation and frivolity.

## Themes in this chapter

### Colonial Ennui and Isolation

The man's thirty-year residence in China, his hatred of the country and people, and his sole focus on Western entertainment exemplify the deep isolation and ennui of colonial life.

### Hypocrisy and Moral Compromise

Despite being praised as 'one of the best' for his generosity and sociability, he openly despises the very country and people that enable his comfortable existence, revealing a moral compromise.

## Character check-ins

### Jardine

The man is number one at Jardine's, indicating his professional role in the trading firm.

## Key lines

> I hate the country, I hate the people, he said. As soon as I've saved enough money I mean to clear out.

He expressed a deep loathing for China and its inhabitants, planning to leave as soon as he had saved sufficient funds.

_This quote encapsulates the character's profound alienation and disdain for his surroundings._

> He had been in China for thirty years, and he prided himself on not speaking a word of Chinese. He never went into the Chinese city.

Despite living in China for three decades, he took pride in his complete ignorance of the language and avoided any engagement with the local culture.

_Highlights the deliberate cultural separation maintained by many colonial expatriates._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/on_a_chinese_screen_se/chapters/lii-one-of-the-best
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/on_a_chinese_screen_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/on_a_chinese_screen_se/chapters