Initiation in Limbo

This chapter examines Limbo (1920), Huxley’s first collection of short fiction. It analyzes the following stories: “Happily Ever After,” “Eupompus Gave Splendour to Art by Numbers,” “The Death of Lully,” “Cynthia,” and “The Bookshop.” The chapter shows that dominant themes in Huxley’s novels and nonfiction were sketched in Limbo. The interpretations of these five stories also indicate that some concepts from Huxley’s nonfiction evolved from characters in Limbo, contrary to popular belief that Huxley’s characters are mere illustrations of his ideas. Finally, this chapter explores the features of Huxley’s literary style, especially his humor and irony, which will become not only his most powerful tool but also his greatest contribution to modernist short fiction.