The Life to Come: And Other Short Stories

A remarkable collection of stories Forster left unpublished until after his death. The best are the later stories he wrote that are explicitly gay, ones that were unpublishable in his time, just like Maurice.

The real jewel of gay literature here is Arthur Snatchfold, a story of gay solidarity along with an amusing and very modern scene of cruising and tricking. I think Dr Woolacott and The Other Boat are also very good reading for a queer studies curriculum. There's some other fun stories here too, some queer or transgressive. Unfortunately the earliest stories are not nearly as good, one wonders if they were unpublished because no one wanted to buy them.

It's fun reading a few of Forster's regular themes in short story form. Mocking the English upper classes. Upholding the noble strength (and sexiness) of the working man. Manly love between an intellectual and a commoner. Also a surprising theme I don't think is in his novels: a love of the supernatural, of ghost stories.

Here's my story-by-story commentary.

Ansell (1903)

A wistful, tender portrayal of a close friendship between two completely different young men. Has the Forster theme of the connection between an intellectual and a "common man." Without condescension; the self-important intellectual is the one who is mocked.

Albergo Empedocle (1903)

Weird story, reads like a prototype of A Room with a View (tourism) and then Maurice (insanity because of being a closeted homosexual). None of it quite works, he's trying to get too much stuffed into too small a story.

The Purple Envelope (1903–1905)

Not good, better left unpublished. The story makes no sense in places and the borrowing of a Gothic ghost story does not work.

The Helping Hand (1904)

Another forgettable story. It's a funny parody of English society but the plot isn't good at the irony and the end is unearned.

The Rock (1906)

Punches hard for such a short, short story. About the value of life and the tension between spirituality and lusty physical life. A little opaque.

The Life to Come (1922)

A remarkably interesting story. A dual critique of Christian missionaries and of homophobia. And with a remarkable twist ending, a sort of violent apotheosis.

Dr Woolacott (1927)

A lovely tragic story about a gay man struggling to accept himself. And being trodden down by a doctor who requires him to repress himself. The supernatural element here gets in the way but gives Forster room to write an emotional story.

Arthur Snatchfold (1928)

My favorite of the stories, a real jewel. At its core is a casual morning trick between an older man and the milkman. It's written very modern and matter of fact, quite relatable! But then it's couched in a tragic story and some unlikely gay solidarity. At least on the part of the younger man; the older man comes off as insensitive and glib. This story would make a great short movie and is totally relatable in the contemporary era.

The Classical Annex (1930–1931)

A silly story, and a little porny. More supernatural stuff I don't care for. I appreciate Forster writing this for his gay amusement but it's not particularly good.

What Does It Matter? A Morality (1935)

Another slightly silly story but this one works much better. It's a sort of queer liberation story in 1935, the idea that a whole country could just decide that sex in general and homosexuality in particular doesn't really matter and how easy that would be.

The Obelisk (1939)

A funny sort of sex romp, reads like a Three's Company episode. It's interesting reading something from Forster so light and yet still so transgressive. Honestly the whole story looks like it's a setup for a dick joke

“Anyone ever seed a bigger one?” he inquired. No one replied, and how should they to so foolish a question? “Stands up, don’t it?” he continued. No one spoke. “No wonder they call that a needle, for wouldn’t that just prick.”

The Torque (1958)

Also a funny sex romp! Sort of a spoof on pagan vs. Christian, with lots of lusty sex. Forster did say he wrote some of these stories to arouse himself... Unfortunately it's also tinged with some unconsidered sexual violence. It doesn't ruin the story but it does date it a bit.

The Other Boat (1957–1958)

What a tragic, dreadful story! But also a story of true queer liberation, or at least a temporary autonomous zone of same sex love for a few days. Until it all goes disastrously wrong when the British social order comes crashing down on them. Feels dated but interesting and relevant.