A Passage to India: The Theme of Equality

Each race over the centuries has formed its own idea of what creates humanity, though its definition is now largely universal. For example, the basic rights of happiness, education, progress, and equality have all become accepted tenets that are commonly associated with humanity. But few nations, agree upon how to secure these rights. While some nations use an authoritarian system, other nations prefer democracies. Names aside, all these systems do in the end have the ultimate cause of furthering humanity, and the ways in which they hope to do so is the only point on which they differ. In his novel A Passage to India, E.M. Forster analyzes two different approaches to this issue; the system of the British, and that of the Indians. In the end Forster concludes that the two systems are simply too different to coexist within the same population and that for this reason, India must be independent.

Forster, in order to avoid this subtle form of bigotry that comes from the generalization of a race, presents in his novel several types of Englishmen whose views on humanity initially seem to differ radically. His first example is that of Fielding. In the beginning of the novel, Forster develops Fielding as a rational character; one who, rather than having an allegiance with any one race, acts out of the firm convictions of logical reasoning and the belief that everyone is equal. This character is first seen at the Bridge Party held to help 'integrate' the Indians in their own country. Forster states about Fielding that "When the moment for refreshments came, he did not move back to the English side, but burnt his mouth with gram" (Forster 36), indicating that Fielding is a highly open-minded character who is not afraid to learn about the Indians. He is also portrayed as a reasonable and practical character during his first encounter with Aziz, where he gives up meaningless social conventions in order to build a more open relationship with Aziz. Furthermore, Fielding even goes against his own Englishmen during the trial, only because he has known Aziz long enough to be sure that Miss Quested is mistaken in her accusations. Thus it appears that in Fielding's eyes, open-mindedness and strong personal relationships are the 2 ways in which the humane attribute of equality is to be achieved in India. Mrs. Moore, however, presents a different point of view on the issue. She believes that "God put us on earth in order to be pleasant to each other" (Forster 43), clearly indicating that she feels it is goodwill shown by individuals that can create a sustainable respect for humanity. However, Mrs. Moore believes that this goodwill is a product of religious fervor rather than one of personal virtue. As indicated by the quote, she feels that goodwill is to be preformed out of a sense of duty to God, not out of personal will. This feeling of obligation and religious duty is, in fact, substantiated by many of Mrs. Moore's actions throughout the whole novel. As literary critic Edwin Nierenberg points out, one example is the fact that Mrs. Moore arranges the marriage between Ronny and Adela not because they love each other, but because she feels it necessary to "act the dutiful matchmaker" (Nierenberg 2). He further concludes that Mrs. Moore is motivated by a "sense of duty in a universe of obligation and due reward" (Nierenberg 3). For this reason, while Mr. Fielding believes personal relationships and open-mindedness are the keys to attaining equality, Mrs. Moore feels that individual goodwill, motivated by religious duty and possible reward, is the solution.

However, Forster does not settle for superficial differences of opinion between the British characters of his novel, and as Mrs. Moore and Fielding are developed both of their views on humanity grow more and more alike. As mentioned before, Fielding is initially portrayed as an open-minded character, due to his mixing with the Indians and disregard of social convention. However, upon further examination it becomes clear that Fielding's freedom of action is not due to any love for Indians, but rather out of an ignorance of their 'true nature.' As Forster states, Fielding "knew little of the district and less against the inhabitants, so he was in a less cynical state of mind" (Forster 36). This clearly indicates that Fielding's open-mindedness is not a testament to his loving character, but rather to his ignorance and inexperience in India. Though his belief in equality as a principle tenet of humanity still stands, as shown by the fact that he sides with Aziz during the trial, it is clear from the outset that Fielding eventually reaches the conclusion that open-mindedness and personal relationships lead only to disappointment, as they did for him in his relationship with Aziz. By the end of the novel this fact is more than clear, as evidenced by Fielding's new belief that the "British Empire really can't be abolished because it's rude" and his statement that the British had "no further use for politeness" (Forster 292). Seeing that politeness is the very quality upon which Fielding's former virtues of personal relationships and open-mindedness were built upon, it is clear that Fielding has altered his beliefs. Rather, Fielding now fells that it is reason and order that create humanity, as shown by the fact that as Aziz calls for independence at the end of the novel Fielding continually points out the flawed logic of Aziz's desires, and states that Indians, in general, are not orderly or disciplined enough to form their own governments. But this idea of the necessity of order is not confined to Fielding alone- Mrs. Moore undergoes the same transformation. As stated in the novel, the echo of the Marabar Caves leads Mrs. Moore to the revelation that "Everything exists, nothing has value" (Forster 134). In the face of this new knowledge, Mrs. Moore's belief that God has given a purpose everything in this world is shattered. Because her prior beliefs rested on the idea that there would be an eventual reward for service to God, the realization that 'nothing has value' renders her old beliefs obsolete. She too, like Fielding, begins to believe that humanity will come from order and reason. Though she does not state it openly, this belief is seen by how Mrs. Moore, after having her idea of a reasonable and orderly world ruled by God crushed, becomes so inhumane as to be jealous of the attention Adela gets from her rape. In other words, the fact that Mrs. Moore was humane when she believed in a fundamental order and inhumane when she lost that belief shows her opinion that order is necessary for humanity. It is stated at the end of the novel that Fielding "had hardened since Chandrapore" (Forster 292). Due to the experiences mentioned above, Fielding becomes so 'hard' in his opinions that he completely rejects all forms of politeness as a means towards the end of equality. He, as well as Mrs. Moore and the British in general, begins to feel that reason and order are the only things that can sustain a lasting equality, and that they should therefore be instilled in all people if equality is to be reached. The British feel that equality is not something that naturally exists, but is something that must be created, and that by being in India and keeping order between the various sects they are in fact promoting equality. Rather than accept every man, woman, and race as inherently equal, the British seek to achieve equality through the standardization of all races under the virtues which they deem necessary in furthering humanity.

The Indians, on the other hand, hold a concept of equality that goes much deeper than that of the British, and eventually come to the conclusion that equality is in fact an inherent virtue. For the Hindus, equality stems from the belief that every living thing, human or animal, has a soul. Though this idea is common to many religions, Hinduism goes even farther to say that the soul is, in essence, part of God, and that therefore every living thing is a part of God. It is this belief in the godly nature of all living beings that puts everyone and everything on the same level in Hindu philosophy, and creates the idea of inherent equality. Because the soul is inherent, and all living beings have equal souls, equality is inherent as well. This idea is mirrored by Professor Godbole's actions, as well as in the Hindu festival in Mau. In the very opening of the final section of the novel, Godbole is depicted imagining himself as Mrs. Moore, then as a wasp, but is unable to imagine himself being a stone. Because of the essential link in souls between all living things, Godbole is able to imagine a unity between him, the wasp, and Mrs. Moore, but not between him and the rock, which is ultimately an inorganic, soulless substance. Furthermore, during the Hindu festival the Hindu's, while re-enacting the life of lord Krishna, act not in any abstract manner, but instead as normal people would, leading Forster to state that "God can play practical jokes upon Himself" (262). Because the Hindu's act as humans when re-enacting the life of a God, it becomes apparent that they believe human action can be godly and that humans are, essentially, but manifestations of God.

This Hindu, and thus essentially Indian, view of inherent equality and humanity leads to a disregard for the systems of order and reason that the British feel are necessary. Because the Indian's regard humanity to be a quality as eternal as God, they do not feel the need to 'protect' it like the British do. As such, India is portrayed throughout the novel as a place of disorder. This is best seen after the trial, when the Indians form their mob. This being the greatest concentration of Indian's at any point in the novel, it is also the height of disorder and confusion. Forster even poses the question "Where was the procession going?" (Forster 211) in order to show the overall sense of confusion. The disorder of India is also mirrored by the country's geography, as literary critic Roger L. Clubb points out. He shows that the Caves can be seen as representing the "riddle of life itself" (2); a riddle that is "unsolvable" (3) and as such cannot be explained by the British's rational and orderly worldview.

The final conclusion of the novel is best rationalized by the great Hindu monk Swami Vivekananda who once said that "each nation, like each individual, has one theme in this life which is its centre, the principal note round which every other note comes to form the harmony. If any one nation attempts to throw off its national vitality, the direction that has become its own through the transmission of centuries, that nation dies." In the novel, the 'national vitality' of the British is order and reason, while for the Indian's it is spirituality. And true to Vivekananda's hypothesis, Forster concludes at the end of the novel that the only solution to the British occupation of India is independence. This is seen by the fact that at the end of the novel Forster goes into a description of how the very nature of India, nonliving and living, all strive for independence from the British. Though independence may seem like a radical thing for a British writer to suggest, Forster's conclusion can be justified by the fact that "was a liberal" and was "of the liberal tradition" (Epstein 2). To Forster, independence seemed like a natural solution to the unnatural conflict of races created by English Imperialism. For while both the Indians and British wanted equality, the methods by which they sought it were too different, and subjugation to one method would mean the subjugation of the whole identity of a race; a problem to which, Forster concludes, independence is the only natural solution.

Works Cited

Clubb, Roger L. "A Passage to India: The meaning of the Marabar Caves." CLA Journal March (1963): 184-93. Contemporary Literary Criticism. Gale Group Databases. Memorial High School Library, Houston, TX. 25 Feb. 2009 .

Epstein, Joseph. "One Cheer for E.M. Forster." Commentary 80.3 (1985): 48-57. Cengage Learning. Gale Group Databases. Memorial High School Library, Houston, TX. 25 Feb. 2009 .

Forster, Edward M. A Passage To India. New York: Everyman's Library, 1991.Nierenberg, Edwin. "The Withered Priestess Mrs. Moore's Incomplete Passage to India." Modern Language Quarterly 25.2 (1964): 198. Literary Reference Center. EBSCO. Memorial High School Library, Houston, TX. 26 Feb. 2009. .