Racy short story by Alan Turing offers glimpse of 'playful, funny, cheeky' side
9 hours ago
- Professor Sarah Dillon challenges the popular view of Alan Turing as an isolated mathematician, revealing him as playful, funny, and literary through his little-known short story 'Pryce's Buoy'.
- The short story, written after Turing's arrest for homosexuality, shows his love for literature, enjoyment of life, and lack of shame about his sexuality, countering the Hollywood portrayal in 'The Imitation Game'.
- Turing's story depicts a potential sexual encounter with a working-class sex worker, influenced by author Angus Wilson, and suggests his sexual spirit remained strong despite prosecution and chemical castration.
- Dillon hopes her findings, published in the Review of English Studies, will reset the narrative of Turing as a one-dimensional figure, emphasizing his complexity and humanity.