A Passage to India

I picked up a disintigrating copy of 'A Passage to India' from my University library a few days ago, and was determined to read it for a few reasons:

1. It is on the list of 1000 novels


2. I've picked it up before and given up on it, despite liking other E.M. Forster novels (namely a Room with a View)


3. My sister is about to start her round the world (parts of Asia and Africa) trip, and is starting off in Nepal and then travelling to India. Not knowing anything of the storyline for some reason I felt that this would be quite an apt read...

I don't know why I gave up on reading this novel before, but this time round I couldn't put it down - which is possibly why I've got two book related blog posts so close together. The story follows two English ladies who travel to India and their adventures as they try and discover the 'real' India. Their experience as English tourists in the early 20th century is very much a 'home from home' experience as the people that they commune with are all English gentlemen and women who are seen as the ruling class and who seldom communicate with the local community, instead communing together each evening in their exclusive club. The local Indian community are seen as subordinates, if not subserviant. The ladies who are new to the community insist on meeting local people which results in a trip to some local caves with Dr Aziz, and a local schoolmaster, Mr Fielding. During this trip Miss Quested is allegedly assaulted, resulting in the arrest of Dr Aziz who pleads his innocence and who finds his sole English supporter in the form of Mr Fielding.

E.M. Forster challenges the role of the British in India, and his commentary on how the English percieved the local community made for an uncomfortable read. The novel is a challenge to the role of the empire and colonial rule, but is also a commentary on the differences within the local community, particulary highlighting the differences between the Muslim and Hindu population. Given my previous study of Orientalism, Colonialism and post-colonialism, I think that I found this novel particularly interesting as it would have been a very controversial testament going against the pro-Britain and pro-empire sentimentalities of post WWI Britain. Whilst some of the sentiments expressed in the novel may seem a little dated now (although unfortunately some of the attitudes still persist today), as long as it is read with the understanding of the political and historical settings around the date of publication, I think it is an enjoyable and eye-opening read.