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Cultural Misunderstandings In A Passage To India

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A Passage to India by E.M. Forster
Chapter VII
A Passage to India written by E.M. Forster, is a novel of many facets: it is a novel of character and action, it has a strong plot and story, but more importantly, it reveals a symbolic pattern which, is the heart of its structure and meaning, as well as its vision.
Chapter VII of the novel is based on the tea party Fielding hosts at his home. Invited guests include, Aziz, Mrs Moore, Adela and the lastly, the Hindu Professor Godbole. The first of the guests to arrive is Aziz, who starts a conversation with Fielding as he is busy getting dressed for the tea party. Although, the two men have never met each other, they treat each other casually, which pleases Aziz. This is the first signs of the …show more content…

Moore and Adela. Not only are there cultural misunderstandings between the westerners and the Hindu Indians, but only between the westerners and the Muslim Indians, as well as the Muslim Indians and the Hindu Indians. This clearly outlines the lack of tolerance in A Passage to India throughout the novel, yet chapter VII containing Fielding’s tea party aims at friendship, yet in effect disturbs the idea of friendship. This is because of the song sung by Professor Godbole, which is expected to be merely for entertainment purposes and represents a symbol of harmony, unfortunately turns into a cultural misunderstanding from Mrs. Moore and Adela’s side, because of differing cultural ideas and expectations regarding hospitality, social factors and the role of each person’s religion in their everyday …show more content…

E.M. Forster uses this question throughout the friendship between Aziz and Fielding. At the start of A Passage to India, Aziz is disdainful of the westerners, reflecting them comically or ignoring them entirely. However, after the friendly and respectful interaction between Aziz and Fielding, an optimistic ideal of liberal development is established. E.M. Forster puts forward that the English rule in India could be prosperous and courteous if only the westerners and Indians treated one another other as Aziz and Fielding treat one other, with respect, tolerance and

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