Abstract: W.Somerset.Maugham is one of the most popular English writers in the 20th century. In his works, he always keeps a calm and objective attitude, using plain words to display life and humanity. The Painted Veil is one of Maugham’s representative works. It is a novel about the heroine Kitty’s spiritual growth and awakening. By adopting a feminist point of view, this paper aims at analyzing the development of Kitty’s female consciousness, and explaining Kitty’s change through the whole story. Kitty’s lack of female consciousness is embodied in her anger at her family, her indifference to her husband and her unawareness of sense of self-worth. Kitty’s experience at Mei-tan-fu contributes to her awakening. In Mei-tan-fu, Kitty’s life undergoes great changes and she meets the Mother Superior, a well respected nun, who exerts great influences on her. Kitty’s view on family, marriage and self-cognition gradually changes. She begins to take a new attitude towards her family and life and actively pursue her own self-worth. The change of Kitty’s view on family, marriage, and self-worth is the manifestation of Kitty’s awakening.

Key words: Kitty; female consciousness; awakening

CONTENTS

Abstract

摘要

1.Introduction1 

  1.1 Introduction to W. Somerset. Maugham and The Painted Veil

  1.2 Literature Review

2. Kitty’s Lack of Female Consciousness3

  2.1 Kitty’s Anger at Her Family

  2.2 Kitty’s Indifference to Her Husband

  2.3 Kitty’s Unawareness of Sense of Self-worth

3. Kitty’s Awakening of Female Consciousness6

  3.1 Kitty’s Change of Attitude to Her Family

  3.2 Kitty’s New Understanding of Marriage

  3.3 Kitty’s Pursuit of Self-worth

4. Conclusion 10

Bibliography11

Acknowledgements.12