Plot-Subplot and Characterization in Somerset Maugham’s Mr. Know All: A New Critical Review

This paper aims to study Somerset Maugham’s Mr. Know All from the perspective of New Criticism (Russian Formalism), mainly highlighting the elements of the plot/subplot and the characterization; two of the most important elements of the short story. The study emphasizes the significance of thematic, aesthetic and structural analysis of the text, pinpointing the dominant themes in the story. The paper also analyzes the interconnectedness of such components to serve the thematic essence of the story in the context of the plot that the writer formulates in order to present his characters and themes. The paper pays special attention to the analysis of the major characters and ideas, specifically Mr. Kelada and his struggle with the narrator-character on the basis of prejudice, racism and ethnicity. Moreover, the paper analyzes the narrator-character who transforms from a character of hatred and racism to a balanced character of love towards Mr. Kelada, suggesting the nature of the contemporary human self in its volatility and transformations.