Summary 1-12

The narrator remembers circumstances in which he first met Charles Strickland, who is now famous. He begins by pointing out that there seems to be nothing special about Charles Strickland, but then says that the man is a genius. The narrator talks about how Strickland is relatively obscure in life, and that his emotional style of art is misunderstood. He then lauds the legends which have risen up about Strickland, saying that such legends are the key to immortality.

The narrator says that, although he knew Strickland in early life, he would not be writing about his friend if he had not gone to Tahiti. Apparently, the most obscure parts of Strickland's life took place in Tahiti, and now the narrator has a chance to interview those who knew Strickland during this time in his life. Later in Chapter 7 we got to know that Charles Strickland has left his wife. She is happy to be presenting the newest and most exciting gossip, and hints that Strickland has run off with a young woman. Crabbe, feeling bad for his friend, goes over to her house, and finds her wiping away tears, talking with her brother-in-law, Colonel MacAndrew. Mrs. Strickland does some semblance of hospitality, then asks Crabbe what he has heard. He tells her that he knows that people say silly things, and that all he knows is that Rose told him that her husband has left her. MacAndrew angrily suggests that Mrs. Strickland should divorce her husband as soon as possible, and she says that she will never divorce him.