A Passage to India is a novel written by E.M. Forster. The book was published in 1924 and considered by many as one of the authors finest works. It examines racism and colonialism as well as a theme Forster developed in many earlier works. The novel portrays the relationship between the British and the Indians in India and the tensions that arise when a visiting Englishwoman, Adela Quested, blames a well-respected Indian man, Dr. Aziz, of having attacked her during an outing. Among Azizs defenders is Cecil Fielding who is the principal of the local college. Adela, during the trial, hesitates on the witness stand and then withdraws the charges. Aziz and Fielding go their separate ways, but two years later they have a tentative reunion. Again they are separated, symbolizing the racial politics that caused a rift in their friendship.
A Passage to India was adapted into a film in 1984 and the movie was nominated for numerous Academy Awards.
About the Author
In The Longest Journey, he emphasized that he needed to keep contact with the earth and to cultivate their imaginations. The same theme runs through Howards End that brought Forster his first major success. The values of truthfulness and kindness dominate Forster’s later thinking.
