The message of the novel "The Moon and the Sixpence" by B.Shaw

In the end it is interesting to expand the meaning of the title of the novel, written from the point of view of Crabbe. Although it is not explicitly revealed in the book, it may be paraphrased as following: "If you look on the ground in search of a sixpence, you don't look up, and so miss the moon."

The message of the novel "The Moon and the Sixpence" by B.Shaw

Crabbe, a young writer in London is going to write a book about Charles Strickland,. Once he meets Strickland at Mrs. Strickland’s party for writers. But suddenly Crabbe finds out that Strickland has left his wife when Rose Waterford tells him that Strickland has run off with a young woman. Thus, Charles abandons his family to go to live in Paris. Meanwhile, Mrs. Strickland begs Crabbe to bring Strickland back because she loves her husband and would never divorce him. Crabbe travels to Paris, nevertheless, he fails to fulfill the request because it is impossible to appeal to Strickland’s conscience and convince him to return home. Painting, not women, becomes Strickland’s bee in a bonnet. Moreover, Charles Strickland is broken because all his fellow art students and teachers make fun of him and his painting. However, Dutch painter Dirk Strove, a close friend of Crabbe, knows Strickland and, moreover, considers him an artistic genius. Strickland exploits Dirk unmercifully, finally stealing his wife Blanche.
In six years Strickland has made about thirty paintings. However, Crabbe doesn’t like any of them. He finds the style of his painting awkward and clumsy. Crabbe has been expecting to observe something special, great. Instead it seems to be subjective and too personal. The artist’s personality is more important that the work he produces. Great art should be intellectual and present universe, evoking universal emotions.
Afterwards Crabbe meets Strickland several more times throughout the ensuing years. During these years Strickland struggles for living, though to have the idea to demonstrate his genius via personality by his aberrant behaviour, by enhancing such a behaviour.