Classic novel by
E.M. Forster, published in 1924. The story concerns the occupation of
India by the
British, and is the most political of Forster’s novels (who also authored “
Howard’s End” and “
A Room with a View.”)
Most of the novel is set in Chandrapore, a city which sits near the Ganges River. A Moslem doctor, Dr. Aziz, is an extremely friendly Indian who meets an elderly British woman, Mrs. Moore, by chance when visiting an Islamic temple. The two end up having a nice conversation and become friends.
Mrs. Moore is visiting her son, Ronny Heaslop, who is looking at the possibility of marrying Adela Quested — who is also visiting the country. Adela complains a lot about not having seen the “real” India (she and most who visit are subjected to the purely safe-and-pretty touristy aspect of India). It is also made very clear throughout the novel that the majority of the British occupants are quite racist when it comes to Indians. Mrs. Moore and Adela do not seem to be near as much so, however.
After some of the British visitors fail miserably in an attempt at having a Bridge Party where “East meets West,” Dr. Aziz is invited to have tea with Mrs. Moore, Adela, and Mr. Fielding— a very friendly schoolmaster of a local college. The group discuss the Marabar Caves during the tea, and Aziz plans a picnic for them at the caves. Ronny eventually shows up and is extremely perturbed that Adela is consorting with Indians.
When the group does eventually make a visit to the Marabar caves, Mrs. Moore gets very upset and depressed after sitting in one of the caves, and has to leave immediately. While Aziz is smoking alone in a seperate cave, Adela goes off on her own, and she later cannot be found. When the group returns to Chandrapore Aziz is arrested for assaulting Adela.
For some reason Adela comes to believe she was attacked by Aziz, and everyone (everyone British, that is) believes her except Dr. Fielding, who respects Aziz and believes him completely. Aziz is brought to trial, but I will not explain what happens further here for those who are interested in reading the novel.
Though I enjoyed “Howard’s End” and “A Room with a View” more, I still found this novel to be a great read. Forster’s ability to write so richly about diverse, well-rounded characters never fails. In “A Passage to India,” Forster primarily looks to provoke thought on the interaction between the English and Indian races and whether or not they can squash the mountain of prejudice that has developed over the years. (This prejudice primarily coming from the English). Forster was inspired to write this novel out of a very personal experience. He had a homosexual relationship with an Indian, Syed Ross Massood, for a number of years, and he became fascinated with the Indian culture. Like he does with his other works, Forster attempts to show different ways in which culture, class, gender and social barriers can be broken.
Here is an example of a moving section of text from “A Passage to India.” It is the start of Mrs. Moore’s mental breakdown while she is in the Marabar caves.
“Even the elephant had become a nobody. Her eye rose from it to the entrance tunnel. No, she did not wish to repeat that experience. The more she thought of it, the more frightening it became. The crush and the smells she could forget, but the echo began in some indescribable way to undermine her entire hold on life. Coming at a moment when she chanced to be fatigued, it murmered, “Pathos, piety, courage — they exist, but are identical, and so is filth. Everything exists. Nothing has value.” ...If one had spoken with the tongues of angels and pleaded with all the happiness and misunderstanding in the world, for all the misery men must undergo whatever their position or opinion — it would amount to the same, the serpent would descend and return to the ceiling. Devils are of the North, and poems can be written about them, but no one could romaticize the Marabar because it robbed infinity and eternity of their vastness, the only quality that accomodates them to mankind...”
“A Passage to India” is #25 on the Modern Library’s 100 Best Books: Fiction.