Not Satisfied with the Ending
Not Satisfied with the Ending
Connecting The World in the Evening to Maurice
This chapter examines E. M. Forster’s posthumously published gay fiction Maurice in the context of Christopher Isherwood’s 1954 novel The World in the Evening, with particular emphasis on commonalities between the two works. Few books have been so poorly received by friends and critics alike as The World in the Evening. Remarkable for its stylistic and thematic departures from his earlier works, the work was almost unanimously dismissed as a failure and continues to be marginalized by critics and readers. This chapter reconceptualizes the novel to appreciate its value in terms of innovation and for its significant connection to Maurice. Drawing upon Fredric Jameson’s ideas, particularly his assertion that we perpetually read through the lens of prior texts and experiences, it argues that The World in the Evening must be read as a unique narrative exploring the possibility of forming spaces within society amenable to gay men. Based on this approach, The World in the Evening can be situated as a “socially symbolic act”.
Keywords: novel, E. M. Forster, Maurice, Christopher Isherwood, The World in the Evening, Fredric Jameson, gay men
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