영어로 읽는 고전 _ E.M. 포스터의 영원의 순간과 다른 이야기들
“영원한 순간, 그리고 다른 이야기들(The Eternal Moment, and Other Stories)”은 1928년 출간된 E. M. Forster의 단편집이다. 이 작품집은 인간의 순간적 깨달음과 내면의 변화를 섬세하게 포착한 이야기들을 담고 있다.
표제작 “영원한 순간”은 한 작가가 자신의 소설로 유명해진 이탈리아의 작은 마을을 재방문하는 이야기를 다룬다. 작품은 과거와 현재의 대비를 통해 시간의 흐름 속에서 포착되는 인간 존재의 본질적 순간을 탐구한다.
collection에 수록된 다른 단편들도 각각 일상적 삶 속에서 마주치는 특별한 순간들을 다룬다. Forster는 이 이야기들을 통해 계급, 문화적 차이, 예술가의 책임, 진정한 소통의 가능성 등 다양한 주제를 섬세하게 탐색한다. 특히 작가는 표면적 현실 너머의 심층적 진실을 포착하는 데 탁월한 감각을 보여준다.
이 단편집은 Forster의 뛰어난 심리 묘사와 우아한 문체가 돋보이는 작품이다. 일상적 사건들 속에서 드러나는 인간 존재의 본질적 순간들을 포착한 이 이야기들은, 시간과 기억, 정체성에 대한 깊이 있는 통찰을 제공한다. 작품집은 순간의 영원성이라는 역설적 주제를 통해 인간 경험의 본질을 탐구한 문학적 성취로 평가받고 있다.

Classics in English _ The eternal moment, and other stories by E. M. Forster
“The Eternal Moment, and Other Stories” is a collection of short stories by E.M. Forster published in 1928. This collection contains stories that delicately capture the momentary awakenings and inner changes of human beings.
The title story, “The Eternal Moment,” deals with the story of a writer revisiting a small Italian town that became famous through his novels. The story explores the essential moments of human existence captured in the flow of time through the contrast between the past and the present.
The other short stories in the collection also deal with special moments encountered in everyday life. Through these stories, Forster delicately explores various themes such as class, cultural differences, the responsibility of the artist, and the possibility of true communication. In particular, the author shows an excellent sense of capturing the deep truth beyond the superficial reality.
This collection of short stories stands out for Forster's excellent psychological descriptions and elegant writing style. Capturing essential moments of human existence in everyday events, these stories offer profound insights into time, memory, and identity. The collection is considered a literary achievement that explores the essence of human experience through the paradoxical theme of the eternity of the moment.

Summary
"The Eternal Moment and Other Stories" by E. M. Forster is a collection of short stories written in the early 20th century. The opening story, "The Machine Stops," explores a dystopian future where humanity lives underground, wholly dependent on a vast Machine that caters to their needs while isolating them from the natural world. The protagonist, Vashti, engages in dispassionate communication with her son, Kuno, who challenges her to reconnect with the outside world but is met with resistance. The opening of the book introduces us to a suffocating society where human interaction is mediated through technology, exemplified by Vashti's routine life filled with lectures and social exchanges that lack genuine connection. As her son Kuno yearns to experience the surface of the Earth and rejects the comforts of the Machine, the story begins to unfold themes of personal freedom, the importance of direct experience, and the dangers of overreliance on technology. This tension between mother and son sets the stage for a deeper reflection on the essence of humanity and existence beyond mechanical confines, hinting at the perilous consequences of an overly mechanized and disconnected society.

Contents
THE MACHINE STOPS
I. THE AIR-SHIP
II. THE MENDING APPARATUS
III. THE HOMELESS

THE POINT OF IT
I. Harold went on rowing
II. A rotten business
III. Micky was still in bed

MR. ANDREWS
CO-ORDINATION
THE STORY OF THE SIREN
THE ETERNAL MOMENT
I. Do you see that mountain
II. Miss Raby's first novel
III. Miss Raby and Elizabeth were seated together