Multiculturalism in
„A Passage to India” written by E. M. Forster in 1924

Author:
- Born in London 1879 as member of the upper middle class
- Education at private schools and later King’s college in Cambridge
- Famous Edwardian Novelist, Essayist, Biographer, Story Writer, Travel Writer concerned with restrictions placed on personal freedoms
- Agnostic, liberal humanist and social critic, with a strong belief in friendship
- Themes: homosexuality (“Maurice”), class and cultural differences (“Howards End”)
- Journeys to various countries in Europe and to India

Summary:
- Set in Indian city of Chandrapore several decades before Indian Independence (early 20th century)
- Two British women travel to India; one is the mother (Mrs. Moore) of a British official and the other (Adela Quested) intends to marry him
- They and Mr. Fielding, a British school principal become friends at a tea party with Aziz, a young Muslim doctor, who is delighted to find English interested in a real friendship
- They decide to go on a trip to the “Marabar Caves”: due to misunderstandings and general confusion the outcome of this expedition is, that Adela decides not to marry the British official and she accuses Aziz to have raped her in the caves
- Fielding, confident about Aziz’ innocence supports him during the trial, that flares up racial tensions; Adela ultimately admits that she has been mistaken and Aziz is set free
- In the end, Aziz states to Fielding, that their friendship could nevertheless only be retained in an independent India

Themes:
1. Characterizations and Stereotypes of the British and Indians:
Indians: - careless about English, their government and politics (some: incompetent, submissive)
- Focus on emotions, relationships, family: firm system of trust, caring and love (despite arranged marriages)
- morality is more a social code; hospitality, reputation and honor outweigh honesty and directness →complex form of communication, with subtle indications
- prejudiced concerning British, tend to stereotyping; irony towards English
British: - few members of society (Fielding, Mrs. Moore): striving for mutual respect, openness and tolerance, willing to loosen British rule and consider the Indians as a heterogeneous group →representatives of humanism - the majority(e.g.: Mrs. Moore’s son): typical colonists, superior, exploiting and arrogant attitude, superficial - obsession with maintaining power

2. Multicultural Friendships:
- Fielding and Aziz first seem to manage to overcome cultural barriers and mutual prejudices, yet their friendship eventually is postponed to post-colonial times
→conclusion: friendship virtually impossible under these circumstances in India
- Their relationship is shaped by mutual respect., nonetheless it exemplifies typical cross-cultural problems: many misunderstandings, often due to early conclusions by Aziz and very stubborn and emotion-lead behavior that lead to mistrust or thanks to the inflexible rational British standpoint →emotionalism vs. rationalism
3. Wrongs of Colonization: o Autocratic and racist British rule, imposing British culture and ignoring and oppressing Indian way of life o Parallel societies o Englishwomen: worse than men, extraordinary racist and condescending o But: question whether British have the right to rule India is neglected, focus is on the way they do rule

Historical Background:
- Great Britain occupied India since 1760, but did not secure complete control until 1858 with the establishment of the colonial system and the British crown as official ruler
- Attitude: undertaking the “white man’s burden” (Kipling): condescending sovereignty
- At the end of 19th century, Indian nationalism, and thus the beginning of Indian independence, arose and was increased after WWI.
- When Forster wrote “A Passage to India” tensions were at a peak and Gandhi began to play a preeminent role in Indian politics
- More than twenty years later, in 1947, India was declared independent