THE BUM, a Short Story by Somerset Maugham

An interesting look at the downfall of a once-promising career... won't reveal more here.

[alidabaxter]

I found this story so tragic, and in such a short tale Maugham describes a whole life that has become a tragic travesty of what had been a future filled with incredible promise. Are we supposed to see that the arrogance of youth has been the ruin of the rest of a life? That we should be kind to those who are very poor and surround us? That there but for the grace of God we go? Maugham supplies us with no answers but only reminds us of the everyday tragedies we should be aware of. In his short stories he says so much in such short tales.

[SophieBird]

I think I have been aware of “an author named Somerset Maugham” for probably the last 50+ years of my life! How am I only now actually discovering his writings? I am just thankful to have lived long enough to have not missed out on the opportunity to actually experience his stories. My eyes are failing me a bit these days, so I am ever so thankful for these audio uploads. He insight into human nature is brilliant.

[maryearll]

I am loving all these stories. Maugham is my hero and so are you for posting them all. Thank you ❤😊

[Matilda-jtkc]

How is it that the man on the bench appears to be wearing 3 shoes?

[AliceJones-yckh]

What a story! The reader really knew how to emphasize the literal meaning of each word. A master piece.

[ajoyandbasantibaksi]

Read this story first about 45 years ago. My wife gave me a four volume collection of Maugham's short stories for my fiftieth birthday - she knew how much I liked his short stories. Oddly enough I do not like his longer stories - Of Human Bondage, The Moon and Sixpence, and even The Razor's Edge. I consider him the best short story writer in the English language. The Bum is one of the very best (powerful, well crafted) and along with The Alien Corn - a much longer story - are my favorites.

[childjusticenow]

Yellow-backed note? Money? Great story. Possibly an angel testing the man's generosity? He didn't give until he thought he may know him. Is it more difficult to bless a stranger than one whom you may have known?

[kieranmarsdenstories]

Enjoyable listen on a Saturday Morning, sitting by the Riverside allowing my Full English to digest. Thank you.

[alanskyrme]

Since my teenage years, decades ago, I have loved the works of Maugham. The short stories are so interesting.

The cover picture of this YT post is interesting in that the seated man has 3 feet. Must be AI !

[kamaleshkumari]

Maugham is able to evoke so many feelings from the reader. I really wonder who he thinks as the protagonist! The depth in each and every word evokes a myriad of emotions!

[granthurlburt]

Great. Thank you. This isnt like any other story, except maybe the Moon and Sixpence, but the Gaughin figure did things formoney and had confidence and ability. Ths great story is an antidote to romantic notions of being an artist or writer, or at least shows the flip side of courage and quite possibly ability, and having one's hope dashed. Yet the pride remains. A great portrait. I last read it 40 yrs or more and it has stuck in my mind

[maryearll]

I think you're all overthinking ! Sorry ! Maugham was a genius at observing people, the times etc. He sees, hears or involves himself, a snapshot of time, and writes about it to get the reader to think about his words. He was a critic of his time and would often make fun of the actors. How else could he be so prolific ?

[WhatIsXSix]

Who is the Bum? Maugham recounts a man of sufficient practical means who is annoyed by the idleness thrust upon him by a delay in his travel plans. He reflects on his situation. He sees that in the past he had conjured up an image of what situation was necessary for him to indulge his "true self" - time stretching, unstructured, before him as far as he could imagine. He imagined he would revel in those moments, but he finds that Instead of drinking the beaker of wine with the pearl dissolved in it, he is spending his time reading last month's advertisements.
Then he notices the beggar, who, in contrast to the other beggars who detail their desperate situations, stands silent before him - a monk/pilgrim passively embodying his need for alms. The man recollects having known this beggar years before in Rome as a young artist of arrogance and, perhaps, even genius.
He finds the beggar/monk/pilgrim/artist sitting on the church steps in front of a pack of squabbling vulchures. The man reaches into his pocket and retrieves a bit of money, which he gives to the beggar/artist/monk/pilgrim. The beggar/artist/monk/pilgrim, in a silent grand gesture, flicks the money into the gaping yaw of a vulchure who carries it off. The beggar/artist/monk/pilgrim disappears.
To me this piece is Maugham's mulling over youth's quest to manifest their "true self", and presents to me the concept of living life as an art form

One of the things I'm liking about Maugham is that he puts a well composed little vignette before the reader's eyes, and, by doing that, he essentially says, "Look at this. What do you think about it?" By the comments here, I see a broad range of answers, as varied as the images in our mirrors. How interesting!

[lindacarter]

Heartbreakingly sad. And even more not being able to help...😢

[jonathanneal]

Riveting short story. Life is humbling to say the least. When we are young we have these lofty dreams, hubris, and arrogance that we can accomplish our dreams. There are so many pieces that have to line up for these idealistic motives to be accomplished.

[tom-kzpb]

Sounds like Somerset Maugham was writing about his own insecurities as writer, wondering if it was an ego-trip, not really being good enough, and contemplating the possible life of failure. There can be a lot of insecurity hiding behind success.

"This feeling of faking it, I still haven't shaken it. I'll play the game, and pretend, but all my words come back to me in shades of mediocrity. " (Paul Simon)

[brunovanhove]

I was brought up respecting and helping the elderly, and thought it quite normal, but at the age of 8, my grandfather said these true word's, " boy!, there are two kind of people in this world, those who would help everyone, "selflessly"!, and those who take it for granted, and normal that you do this for them ! But if you don't have a problem with this !, you should definitely get married and have a lot of children!, or work for a boss ! " I have a lot of bums in family, but they don't live on the streets.

[roninmusashi]

The bum is the writer's true nature, keeping his dignity and not doing anything for money, unlike Maugham who becomes popular and rich. Maugham wonders how much more genius his art would have become if he did not prostitute his art for money.

[TONYODELL-jvmu]

Does the figure sat on the bench have three legs?

[classicsciencefictionhorro]

Essentially a rough sketch of The Razor's Edge. Heart-rending.