NOVEL IILECTURE 23

A PASSAGE TO INDIA

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Synopsis

Story in a nutshell Summary line Chapter discussion Visual Comprehension

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IN A NUTSHELL

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A girl walks into a cave...and an empire trembles… It might seem scandalous to reduce E.M. Forster 's

A Passage to India, a complex and multi-faceted work considered one of the greatest novels of the 20th century, to such a concise formula.

But we humbly offer up this mantra as our homage to Forster's novel, as a passage into his Passage to India.

Published in 1924 when the cracks in the British Empire were just emerging, the novel centers on the trial of an Indian doctor accused of raping an Englishwoman.

The work was the last of Forster's novels, and a thematic departure for him as well.

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Previous novels such as A Room with a View (1908) and Howards End (1910) stayed in Europe, focusing on the familiar Edwardian theme of the individual's struggle against the stifling conventions of society.

Informed by Forster's own travels to India in 1912-13 and 1921, A Passage to India has been lauded not only for its critique of the British Empire, but also for its stylistic innovation and philosophical density.

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So, a girl walks into a cave...and an empire trembles. One of the reasons that Forster's novel is so amazing is that it takes an individual case – a rape trial – and shows how it sets off network of social, political, and cultural forces that reverberates across the British Empire.

Set in India in the early 20th century when it was still a British colony, the novel challenges the claim that British had a right to colonize India.

Variously called Britain's "civilizing mission" or, in Rudyard Kipling 's famous line, the "white man's burden," British imperialism was motivated by the idea that the British were a superior, enlightened, and more advanced race than non-European peoples, and thus had a duty to "civilize" these people, by force if necessary (source).

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British imperialism in India entailed a fundamentally racist set of beliefs about "Orientals," a term which denoted anyone living east of western Europe, from North Africa to China.

Orientals were considered passive, weak, illogical, and morally corrupt with a tendency toward despotism.

A Passage to India turns this imperial ideology on its head through its scathing depiction of British colonial bureaucrats, its detailed and nuanced portrayal of Indian characters, and its invocation of India's rich history and culture.

But it also shows how difficult the path to Indian independence would be through exploration of the tensions between the Hindu and Muslim characters in the novel.

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Despite its critique of the British Empire, Forster's novel continues to draw controversy, particularly in the field of postcolonial studies, a field devoted to the study of literary, social, and political issues relating to former European colonies. (Read more about postcolonial studies here.)

Some critics argue that A Passage to India is still bogged down by the Orientalist stereotypes that the novel condemns. Others take issue with Forster's exclusion of women from the idealized, though fraught, friendships between men in the novel – this exclusion is seen as revealing how the British Empire was not only a racist system, but a patriarchal one as well.

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The novel certainly resists easy answers to these daunting questions. As Forster himself said of his novel, "When I began the book I thought of it as a little bridge of sympathy between the East and West, but this conception has had to go, my sense of truth forbids anything so comfortable" (Childs 22).

In its refusal of "comfortable" solutions to pressing political issues, Forster's novel doesn't give us a blueprint to a better, happier, world. Instead, A Passage to India offers a way of thinking critically about our relationship to the world, and our relationship to ourselves. So we invite you to bid farewell to our mantra, and let yourself get lost in the extraordinary passages of Forster's A Passage to India.

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SUMMSRY

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A Passage to India Summary In Part 1, "Mosque," the novel opens with a

panoramic view of the fictional city of Chandrapore, India.

The narrative shifts to Dr. Aziz, who is called away from dinner with his friends by his superior at the hospital, Major Callendar.

He then visits to the local mosque, where he meets Mrs. Moore, an Englishwoman who has recently arrived to visit her son, Ronny Heaslop, with his love interest, Adela Quested.

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After the mosque, Mrs. Moore arrives at the club just as Adela announces to the members of the club that she would like to see the real India.

To humor her, Mr. Turton, the Collector of the district, offers to set up a Bridge Party. At the Bridge Party, Adela is disappointed to find that the British and Indian guests are grouped in separate areas of the lawn.

There, Adela meets Mr. Fielding, the principal of the local Government College, who invites her to a tea party where she might meet more Indians, including Mrs. Moore's friend Aziz.

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At Fielding's tea party, Adela finally meets Aziz. The other guests include Mrs. Moore and Professor Godbole.

While Fielding gives Mrs. Moore a tour of the grounds, Aziz and Adela continue their conversation.

Aziz spontaneously offers to take Adela and the rest of the party for an excursion to the Marabar Caves.

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During this conversation, Aziz and Adela are interrupted by Ronny, who is angered to see Adela alone with an Indian.

After Fielding's tea party, Adela tells Ronny that she is unwilling to marry him. Just then, the Nawab Bahadur offers to take them on a ride in his new car.

They accept, but on the ride, get into a car accident. No one is hurt, and the accident is a bonding experience for Adela and Ronny, who agree to marry each other by the time they return home.

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Aziz skips work for a few days feigning illness. Aziz's friends, including Hamidullah, stop by to see how he's doing, followed by Fielding.

After the rest of the guests leave, Aziz detains Fielding in order to show him a photograph of his dead wife as a gesture of friendship.

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In Part 2, "Caves," the hot season approaches.

Upon hearing a false rumor that Adela is offended that Aziz has not invited them out to the caves, Aziz invites Adela and Mrs. Moore for an excursion to the caves, even though no one in the party wants to go.

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On the morning of the picnic, Aziz meets Adela and Mrs. Moore at the train station, but Fielding and Godbole arrive too late to make the train.

Aziz, Adela, Mrs. Moore, and the rest of their party proceed to the Marabar Caves. In the tour of the first cave, Mrs. Moore feels ill and is shaken to her spiritual core by the troubling echo within the cave.

She stays behind at the picnic site while Adela follows Aziz and the guide to other caves.

Just as Adela comes to a realization that she doesn't love Ronny, she offends Aziz, who slips into another cave to escape her. Distracted, Adela also walks into a cave.

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Having recovered his composure, Aziz leaves the cave, and notices that Adela is missing.

Aziz also notices that a car is driving by the hills below. When he returns to the picnic site, he is greeted by Fielding.

Together with Mrs. Moore, they return to Chandrapore, but upon their arrival, Aziz is arrested for allegedly attacking Adela.

Fielding spends the rest of the day working for Aziz's release.

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At the club, the British gather to discuss Adela's case. Fielding defends Aziz's innocence, in the process offending Ronny Heaslop and the rest of the club members.

After Adela recovers from her injuries at the McBrydes' bungalow, she returns to Ronny's bungalow, where Mrs. Moore, still overwhelmed by her experience in the caves, speaks incoherently and unpleasantly to Adela.

Unwilling to participate in the trial, Mrs. Moore, with Ronny's help, arranges to sail back to England.

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After Mrs. Moore leaves, Adela stays with the Turtons. On the day of the trial, the Turtons take Adela to the courthouse. In the courtroom, McBryde opens the case against the defendant.

When Adela takes the stand, she suddenly realizes her mistake and withdraws her charge against Aziz. The courtroom is thrown into a tumult.

Adela is carried out of the courtroom by the crowds. Fielding rescues her and drives her back to the college for safety. Meanwhile, Aziz and his party decide to attack the hospital, but Lal's buffoonery defuses their riotous impulses.

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Ronny visits Adela at Fielding's, where he notifies both of them of Mrs. Moore's death on the boat out to England.

Fielding lets Adela stay at the college while he goes to Aziz's victory celebration, where he tries to convince Aziz not to pursue a lawsuit for damages against Adela. Later, Aziz decides not to press charges against Adela.

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With Ronny breaking off their engagement, Adela returns to England.

A rumor that Adela and Fielding had an affair while she was staying at the college strains Aziz's relationship with Fielding, who also leaves for England before their friendship is repaired.

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In Part 3, "Temple," the novel fast-forwards several years to Mau during the rainy season. Godbole, the Minister of Education at Mau, directs the Gokul Ashtami festivities while Aziz, now a doctor at Mau, attends to the ailing ruler.

On a walk to a local shrine, Aziz sees Fielding and a man get chased out by bees. The man turns out to be Ralph Moore, and Aziz realizes his mistake: Fielding has married Stella Moore, Mrs. Moore's daughter, not Adela.

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Aziz's antagonism toward Fielding and his party melts when he talks with Ralph alone in their guest quarters.

Aziz takes Ralph out on the Mau tank to view the festivities, but their boat collides with Fielding and Stella's. Everyone ends up in the water.

The novel ends as Fielding and Aziz go on a horse ride together, with the mutual realization that circumstances prevent them from maintaining their friendship.

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CHAPTER DISCUSSION OF THE PLOT

A PASSAGE TO INDIA

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Chapter 1& 2

The first chapter of the book doesn't introduce us to any of the characters. Instead, we get a brief description of Chandrapore and the Marabar Caves.

The part of Chandrapore that lies by the river is grubby and sordid (i.e., dirty). But as the town slopes upward away from the river, it becomes a different city.

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Upper Chandrapore is where the civil station, or headquarters for the British colonial administration, is located. Here live the British who have come to administer this particular area of India, which is a British colony at the time.

The area around Chandrapore is flat for miles and miles until you hit the Marabar Caves, which are described as "fists and fingers" jutting out of the ground (1.1.4).

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Dr. Aziz arrives at Hamidullah's home, ready to share a bite with his friends. He interrupts a conversation between Hamidullah and Mahmoud Ali, who are debating whether it is possible to be friends with the British.

As they wait for dinner, Hamidullah takes Dr. Aziz in to say hello to his (Hamidullah's) wife, who is Aziz's distant aunt. Hamidullah Begum (the wife) gives Aziz a lecture about his duty to marry again, and that's how we find out that Aziz is a widower with three children who live with their maternal grandmother.

Afterwards, Hamidullah, Aziz, and Mohammed Latif, a relative of Hamidullah's, sit down for dinner. They enjoy the evening listening to Aziz recite some great Persian, Urdu, and Arabic poetry.

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Their pleasant evening is interrupted when Aziz is called away by his superior, Major Callendar, the Civil Surgeon.

Latif goes off to pick up Aziz's bike, but he and a servant accidentally pop one of the tires on a tack.Aziz hops on his bicycle and heads toward Callendar's. He doesn't realize, however, that his bike has a flat until he's well on his way.

He hops off and gets on a tonga (a small, horse-drawn carriage) for the rest of the way.When he arrives, Callendar isn't there. Callendar hasn't even left a message. Aziz takes this as a deliberate diss and gets angry.

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What's worse is that Mrs. Callendar and Mrs. Lesley swipe his tonga, even though he's standing right in front of them.

Aziz has no choice but to walk home. On his walk home, he decides to stop by his favorite mosque, and his good humor returns.

Thinking of more Persian poetry, he notices a pillar move. But it's not a pillar – it's an Englishwoman.

At first, he's angry at what he sees as an intrusion. But he realizes that the Englishwoman has respectfully taken off her shoes, which endears her to him.

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The Englishwoman introduces herself as Mrs. Moore. In the course of their conversation, he finds out that she's actually the mother of the City Magistrate, Ronny Heaslop. (We learn that Ronny is her son from a first marriage.)

She has two other children, Ralph and Stella, from a second marriage. They instantly connect over the fact that they both have three children.

Mrs. Moore seems friendly and willing to let Aziz air his troubles. Aziz is happy to walk Mrs. Moore back to the club, although he himself can't enter the club because he's Indian.

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Visual Comprehension

Events Time frame

It’s rainingAdela Quested is going to India first time- out of London for the first timeMrs Moors and Adela reach IndiaEast is East Mrs Moors …it’s a question of culture Glimpses of British Raj Rony comes to take Mother and Adela Dr. Aziz enters with his opinions about British peopleGuests reach home in India

0:00 – 15:00

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Visual Comprehension

The Malabar Hills are introduced Adela is facing realities a bit different Dr. Aziz’s agony brought by British rules and routines…Mrs. Moors is inside a Mosque (conversation between Moor and Aziz)

15:00 – 25:00

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Visual Comprehension

25:00 – 45:00

Gathering at club Gathering at bridge party at club British-India affairs are major part of discussionsDr. Aziz comes to Fielding’s place to visit himFielding is liked by Aziz and so the meeting is enchanted him

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Review Lecture 23

Story in a nutshell Summary line Chapter discussion Visual Comprehension

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