The Ant and the Grasshopper

In Somerset Maugham short story "The ant and the Grasshopper" we are introduced to the two main characters as referring to them as George and Tom. The characters are introduced after a short introduction about the story of the ant and the grasshopper. In this fable we learn that the ant in the story is much like the character of George. The ant begins working away throughout the summer collecting his food and building his shelter in order to prepare for the upcoming winter. The Grasshopper on the other hand enjoys his summer months by "sitting on a blade of grass singing to the sun" (Maugham 288). The characteristics of the grasshopper are also seen through the character of Tom. George is considered "hardworking, decent, respectable, and straightforward" (Maugham 291), whereas Tom is portrayed as an idle, worthless, dissolute, and dishonorable rogue" (Maugham 291). We can not help but feel drawn to sympathize with George's character because throughout the story George is seen to be the individual that has worked for everything he has. We see evidence of this when the narrator states, "Poor George, only a year older then his scapegrace brother, looked sixty. He had never taken more then a fortnight's holiday in the year for a quarter of a century. He was in his office every morning at nine thirty and never left it till six. He was honest, industrious, and worthy. He made a point of saving a third of his income and his plan was to retire at fifty-five to a little house in the country… (Maugham 290). Maugham uses this character to portray the preferred life that we as humans try to live each day. By going to work and supporting a family we are much like the ant in the story living each day in order to prepare ourselves for the future. Within the story Maugham created Toms character to portray the characteristics of the grasshopper. "He stopped working and wanted to enjoy himself. He had little money and he spent two happy years in the various capitals