The Painted Veil

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. The Painted Veil is set in the 1920s in British Colonial Hong Kong. What do you know about the British Empire? What were its dates? How did the British find themselves in Hong Kong, and what was their attitude to the Chinese people who lived there?

Teaching Suggestion: A general understanding of the British Empire and of British colonial activities in Hong Kong is essential to students’ engagement with the novel. Moreover, it is a good idea to prepare students for the novel’s depiction of British colonists’ racist and patronizing views of Chinese people. Setting up this perspective can help students engage with the text critically and develop strategies for approaching the potentially distressing contents of the novel. During this contextualizing discussion and investigation, students might also benefit from an introduction to the theme of The Subjugated Other.

• This website can be used to provide students with a comprehensive overview of the British Empire, including its crucial dates and geographical boundaries. 
• This weblink might be useful in showing students the geographical location and history of Hong Kong and in introducing them to the concept of British rule there.

2. The novel features a middle-class, female protagonist in the 1920s. What do you know about the position of Western women in the 1920s? Is there a type of woman that comes to mind as the epitome of this decade? How did women’s lives in the 1920s compare to those of previous generations? How did their lives compare to those of women today?

Teaching Suggestion: Some knowledge of the social changes that were taking place in the 1920s is essential to understanding the novel’s protagonist, Kitty Fane, who has many characteristics of a flapper-like figure. However, in addition to exploring the greater freedoms that (some) women enjoyed in this decade, you may also want to draw attention to the continuing expectation that women attain social advancement through marriage. As Kitty is British, it may also be necessary to introduce the British class system and discuss how this impacts women’s lives. This exercise touches on the themes of The Subjugated Other and The Tension Between Character and Personality.

• This collection of prints from London’s Victoria and Albert Museum shows women’s changing roles in the interwar period. You might discuss the style of the women’s hair and clothes and compare them to those of previous eras. Brainstorm any words and phrases that come to mind.
• This website  can serve as an overview of what life was like in 1920s Britain. It discusses the social changes brought about by World War I and how these changes impacted the role of women.
• This brief article from the United Kingdom historical organization The National Archives discusses the impact of post-war economics on social classes in Britain.

Personal Connection Prompt

This prompt can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before reading the novel.

Have you ever had to make a leap into the unknown, leaving behind everything familiar for new experiences? Examples might include moving to a new town or attending a new school. Perhaps you had to go to a country where you didn’t speak the language.

Write a journal entry that reveals your perspective on the night before the change commences—for example, your last night in your old home or old circumstances. How do you feel? What experiences are you anticipating or dreading? What will you miss? If possible, discuss sentimental items you elect to bring with you. Are there important belongings you must leave behind? How much do you think the experience will change you?

Teaching Suggestion: This prompt will help students to empathize with Maugham’s heroine, Kitty Fane, who must leave behind everything familiar when she marries Walter and moves with him from England to Hong Kong. Although the novel dates to the early 20th century, some facets of human experience, such as facing change, remain the same. As Kitty’s life is determined by her husband’s career, this activity may also connect students’ experiences with the theme of The Subjugated Other.

Differentiation Suggestion: English language learners might illustrate rather than write about their experiences, providing captions where possible. Illustrations could include a last night in an old bed, facial expressions depicting feelings, and the contents of a suitcase or schoolbag.