Closing Thought: So what, now?

Inspired by the life of the French artist Paul Gauguin, The Moon and Sixpence tells the story of Charles Strickland, a seemingly ordinary London stockbroker who, in midlife, abandons his family and career to pursue an overpowering urge to paint. Strickland is not a charming or even likable man—he is selfish, rude, and indifferent to others—but his dedication to his art is absolute and unrelenting. He sacrifices everything in pursuit of an inner compulsion to create, even if it means destitution, isolation, or hurting those around him.

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