Set during the British Raj period in India, Passage to India serves as a social commentary as it explores the race relations between the British and Indians, alongwith secondary references to the growing tension between Muslims and Hindus.
The protagonist, Dr. Aziz, is a practicing physician in a small town, Chandrapore where he makes the acquaintance of three Englishmen-Cyril Fielding, the dean of a local university, Mrs. Moore, an Englishwoman visiting her stationed son, and her son's soon-to be fiance, Adella Quested. The novel essentially questions whether an Indian can develop a friendship with the British during this colonial period.
Dr. Aziz is initially amiable toward his British acquaintances and offers to provide them with a tour of the nearby attraction, the Malabar Caves. These relationships are challenged and racial tensions within the community mount, when Adela Quested accuses Dr. Aziz of physical molestation within one of the caves. While Mrs. Moore does not support Adela's Quested claims, she does not publicly declare Dr. Aziz' innocence and her son soon sends her home to English, to prevent the defense from using her as a key witness to their case. Cyril Fielding, on the otherhand, maintains his constant support for Dr. Aziz despite being ostrasized by his British peers.
Although the plot was simple, E.M. Forster's characterization and dialogue astutely captured general race relations during the British Raj period. I was fascinated, yet appalled, by the British's vile characterizations about the "natives" Indians. Cyril Fielding's personal strength and character sheds light upon his ability to overcome the struggle between individualism and societal pressure. Dr. Aziz's personal transformation, over the course of the novel, reveal the fragility of human relationships and how specific events can alter our perceptions and core beliefs.
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