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A Passage To India


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A Passage To India
                                                                                            E.M. Foster

A Passage To India is a remarkable novel of E.M. Foster. Dr. Aziz , Aleda, Feilding, Ronny and Mrs. Moore are the central characters of the novel. Conflict is the keynote of the novel. The novel depicts the clash of the culture of the English and the Indian (East and West), the clash of imperialism with natives, the clash of the human heart with the machinery of the government, the clash of Hindus and Muslims and the clash between communities. The domination of the English over the Indians is the central theme of the novel. The city of Chandrapore is used as British administration station. Ronny Heaslop is the magistrate of the station. Mrs. Moore is the mother of Roony Heaslop. She comes to visit Chandarapore from England with Adela Quested. Ronny is the haughty young officer. But his mother Mrs.

 Moore shows attitudes towards Indians is different. Dr. Aziz is a Muslim. Mrs. Moore shows respect to Aziz’s religion and visits the mosque. So Aziz has good impression about this lady. Adela has come  Chandrapore in order to visit India. She has another mission to marry Ronny Heaslon.  In fact Adela is not much liked by any of the English men and women. Adela feels ashamed because of her people’s attitude. Mrs. Moore and Adela are invited in a tea party by Fielding, principle’s attitude. Mrs. Moore and Adela are invited in a tea party by Fielding, principal of the Government College. At this party Dr. Aziz and Godbole  (professor) join. Aziz is very happy at this party. He invites the two English ladies (Mrs. Moore and Adela) to a picnic in the famous Marabar caves.
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In the mean time Aziz and Fielding come closer to each other. Friendship relation begins between the two. But an unexpected event takes place in the Marabar caves. Adela accuses Aziz as her seducer. She informs the English community about her rape although it is untrue. Since to the eyes and understandings of Mrs. Moore does not believe that Aziz is the seducer of Adela. When Aziz is arrested, Fielding makes protest against the arrest. He has the same belief of Aziz like Mrs. Moore. The whole affair has become a tug-of-war between the English and Indians. Now Adela is puzzled and confused. She is not sure what happened to her in the cave. So, at the trial, Adela withdraws the charge in the open court. The English don’t accept it easily. On the other hand, “The Indians are excited by the triumph, and shouts slogans against the English. Adela is hated by both the English and the Indians. Now Aziz is determined to demand a large amount of money as compensation from Adela. Fielding requests Aziz demanding only his legal costs.
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But Aziz proclaims that he is entirely ant-British and will get all the money he can. Gradually Aziz accepts Fielding’s request. Adela and Fielding now become quite friendly. Ronny annoyed with Adela, breaks off his engagement with her, and she sails for England. In the mean time Aziz believes a rumor regarding the secret love between Fielding and Adela. Fielding denies this rumor. But it does not convince Aziz. Aziz thinks that he has been cheated by Fielding. Fielding leaves for England on a short visit. At the same time Aziz has gotten a job in the Indian State of Mau. Two years have passed. Fielding has arrived at Mau on an official tour. He has got married to Stella, Mrs. Moore’s daughter. Now Aziz learns that Fielding’s wife is not Adela but Stella. He is not satisfied because Stella is the sister of his enemy Rony Heaslop. He says “My heart is for my own people henceforward.” I wish no English man or English women to be my friend. But Aziz is confused about the possibility of a friendship with Fielding. He also thinks that their relation may be established when India will emerge as a free nation and the English man will be driven out from India. 
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Through reading the novel we see that British do not want close relations with either Muslims or Hindus. Among the English, Fielding is liberal and cordial. Dr. Aziz (Muslim) and Professor Godbole (Hindu) are cordially treated by Fielding. The separation of race from race, sex, from sex, culture from culture, even of man from himself is the central point of the novel. The separation of the English from the Indians is the most dramatic of the crack in this novel. There is a gulf between Hindus and Muslims, and there are divisions among Hindus themselves Brahman and non-Brahman.  Indians have their negligence against the ruling class.  Aziz does not attend the collector’s party because of his ill-feeling against the English. Bureaucratic attitude of the English towards the Indians makes the difficulty. Ronny, the English magistrate holds a low opinion about Indians in general. He feels upset to learn that his mother and Adela have accepted Aziz’s invitation to visit the caves. Mrs. Moore is different from her son. She thinks that the English people in India behave as if they were gods. The picture of the Muslims, the Hindus and the Anglo-Indians that Forster gives us in his novel is largely true.   

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