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the line forms on the left I met this paragraph in a book. [I may have said it roughly, for I feel Tom Patterson's death sentence as something close and threatening. Not only does one watch — yet once more — the blotting out of a friend. One is reminded, without needing the reminder, that the line forms on the left.] The story’s narrator is seventy years old. Tom Patterson is his friend, and has had two operations for cancer. Tom is close to death. Will you please tell me what you think about the expression ‘the line forms on the left’? Thanks in advance.

Answers · 5

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It would be good to have more context. As it is, I don't think there's any specific meaning to "left." I think he means that it's just ordinary. We are all in line to die, sooner or later. And especially at his age, sooner. "the line forms on the left" just means get in line, your turn is coming.
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Wow, this is a good and tough question! The others have given the military reference but I would read this as almost having a self critical meaning for the writer. There is a line of people waiting to complain! Not just me the writer! There are a lot of people who have suffered in the same way and I am not special in my loss. Deep stuff! Thank you for posting the question! Richard
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The phrase 'The line forms to the right' is a military phrase. Soldiers must form a line on the right side, behind the senior ranking soldier. It's the standard formation. The phrase ' the line forms to the left' would therefore suggest that the queue (into death in this case) is not orderly. By this I think he means that anyone could be next, even him.
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I agree with Michael. Without more context it's difficult to tell. On the left is often used to refer to more socialist politics. However, based on just this section of writing, I think he is saying that the circumstances remind him that life is short and that death is inevitable and potentially soon - "One is reminded ... that the line forms on the left". It's wordplay. Sort of like saying that he will have to queue up to die soon.
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"Line" is American English for "queue". "On the left" here may be a political reference, but I don't know that. Are the Tom Patterson and the narrator in the book characters with left-leaning politics? Is the suggestion in your quote that there is a queue of people waiting to die, and that this queue "forms on the left" - affects people with left-leaning political ideas?

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