The story under the title “The Escape” was written by one of the outstanding English writers – William Somerset Maugham. William Somerset Maugham is one of the best known English writers of the 20th century. He was not only a novelist, but also a one of the most successful dramatist and short-story writers. Maugham wants the readers to draw their own conclusion about the characters and events described in his novels. His reputation as a novelist is based on the following prominent books: “Of Human Bondage”; “The Moon and Sixpence”; and “The Razor's Edge”.
The plot of the story is quite simple, though interesting. The protagonist of the story, a young man rolling in money – Roger Charing – fell in love with Ruth Barlow, an unfortunate woman who was twice a widow. They had all the happy and pleasant moments of relationships a loving couple usually has and intended to marry. Then suddenly Roger fell out of love with Ruth. But he found a way to make Ruth release him. He said they would marry the day they found the perfect house for both of them, however, Roger rejected all the orders of the agents offering a new house. At last Ruth lost her patience and left Roger herself.
So, the problem addressed in the story lies in the relationships of man and woman, in the way they get over the quandaries, in the way they treat each other. And I believe this problem is rather vital nowadays as many families divorce because they don’t know how to overcome hardships they face.