Liza of Lambeth is a novel by William Somerset Maugham, which takes the setting of the slum areas in London. This novel is about a female factory worker, Liza Kemp who faces two choices between two suitors those are Jim Blakeston or Tom. Yet, Liz a's decision later on falls down on Jim Blakeston, a married man who is twenty-two year older than she is instead of Tom, a single young man. This decision makes her come into conflict that will influence her in the future. Here, the thesis writer is curious to know the factors that influence Liza in taking the
decision to accept Jim and refuse Tom to be her lover. Then, she also wants to find out how this wrong decision brings fatal effects to her. For this purpose, the thesis writer uses literary theories by applying the theory on characterization and conflict. The theory on characterization is used to analyze Liza's domestic and nondomestic factors that influence her in making a decision. The thoery on conflict is used to analyze the fatal effects of Liza's
wrong decision. Beside literary theories, the psychological theories are also used in order to analyze Liza's non-domestic factors that influence her in making a decision. In conclusion, the thesis writer realizes that Liza's life is considered to be tragic because having lost her father makes her try to find the father's image in her suitor. It is one of the factors that makes her choose Jim to be her lover besides the other factors as well which she feels unable to find it in Tom. Yet, the thesis writer also finds that Liza never gets love and affection from her parents, especially her mother. Furthermore, the thesis writer also finds the tragic ending in Liza because in the end of her life, she has to die as an unmarried mother.