A Passage to India

Novel | E. M. Forster

Justify the title of the novel “A Passage to India.”

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Justify the title of the novel A Passage to India NU E M Forster s - A Passage to India is a novel of colonial India The title comes from Walt Whitman s poem Passage to India Forster uses it in a symbolic way The novel is about a journey to India but also about a journey to truth and understanding Through Aziz Mrs Moore Adela Fielding Ronny and Godbole the title gains meaning Passage to the Land India Itself The title first means the physical journey to India Adela Quested and Mrs Moore travel from England to Chandrapore They want to see the real India Forster writes about the civil station that Shares nothing with the city except the overarching sky Aziz Hamidullah and Mahmoud Ali live in the bazaar Ronny Turton Mrs Turton Callendar and Mrs Callendar live on the hill The passage to India becomes a passage

into separation The land itself shows conflict Passage to Friendship and Humanity The title also means the passage to friendship Dr Aziz meets Mrs Moore in the mosque He shouts Madam this is a mosque She replies I have taken them my shoes off God is here Aziz is moved A bond begins Adela also tries to get to know the Indians Fielding becomes Aziz s close friend He says to Adela Try seeing Indians These attempts show a journey toward human understanding But the Raj makes friendship difficult The passage is blocked by pride and prejudice Passage to Misunderstanding The Marabar Caves The Marabar Caves give the title a deeper meaning The caves stand for confusion and chaos Inside the echo destroys all sound Forster writes The echo in a Marabar cave is entirely devoid of distinction all produce boum Adela feels fear She imagines Aziz attacked her Mrs Moore also feels broken The passage to the caves becomes a passage to misunderstanding It ruins trust between the English and the Indians It turns friendship into suspicion The title reflects this tragic journey Passage to Injustice and Division The trial of Aziz also justifies the title Adela falsely accuses him The British unite against him Ronny Turton Mrs Turton Callendar and Mrs Callendar demand punishment Indians like Hamidullah and Mahmoud Ali defend him Only Fielding supports him The court is a passage to injustice It becomes a war of races not a search for truth Forster writes that the English were Sinking themselves in their community They forget individuals They defend race The title points to this journey of division Passage to Freedom and Spiritual India At the end the title looks to the future Aziz changes At first he admires the English Later he rejects them He says India and England cannot be friends till India is free The Mau festival also shows Hindu India Professor Godbole joins the worship of Krishna It is spiritual mystical and beyond politics Fielding and Aziz ride together Nature answers No not yet No not there The passage to India is incomplete True passage will come with freedom The title A Passage to India is symbolic It means a journey to a land to friendship to misunderstanding to injustice and to freedom Adela Mrs Moore Aziz Fielding Ronny Turton Callendar Hamidullah Mahmoud Ali and Godbole all take part in this journey Forster shows that under the Raj the passage is blocked Only in freedom will the passage be complete

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