# XXIII: God's Truth explained — On a Chinese Screen

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

## What happens

Birch, a B.A.T. agent stationed in a remote Chinese town, suffers from extreme isolation and homesickness after three months without seeing another white man. When he finally encounters a missionary on the road, his desperate attempt at connection is rebuffed due to the missionary's moral objection to the tobacco trade. The encounter escalates into a violent confrontation, leaving Birch more desolate than before.

## Themes in this chapter

### Colonial Ennui and Isolation

Birch's profound loneliness and the psychological toll of isolation in a foreign land are central to the chapter.

### Hypocrisy and Moral Compromise

The missionary's refusal to show basic human kindness to Birch, despite his Christian calling, highlights moral hypocrisy.

### Cultural Clash and Misunderstanding

The impenetrable Chinese life and the barren landscape symbolize the cultural divide that exacerbates Birch's alienation.

## Character check-ins

### Birch

B.A.T. agent, isolated and homesick, desperate for human contact after three months alone.

### The Stranger

A missionary who refuses to associate with Birch due to his involvement in the tobacco trade.

## Key lines

> The roadway, worn to pieces by the ceaseless traffic, was so full of holes that the breath was jolted out of your body as you jogged along at a foot pace.

The road was heavily damaged by constant use, with so many potholes that riding at a slow walk would knock the wind out of you.

_Describes the poor condition of the roads in the interior town._

> The valley was bounded by wild, barren mountains and they seemed to shut him in. He felt immeasurably far away from civilisation.

The surrounding barren mountains felt confining, emphasizing his sense of being cut off from the civilized world.

_Illustrates Birch's feeling of entrapment and isolation._

> The barren mountains were less hard than the heart of man.

The harsh landscape was more forgiving than the cruelty he experienced from another person.

_Reflects Birch's despair after the missionary's rejection._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/on_a_chinese_screen_se/chapters/xxiii-god-s-truth
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/on_a_chinese_screen_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/on_a_chinese_screen_se/chapters