Examples Of Modernism In Passage To India

A passage to India by E.M. Forster is a modern novel. It has its own features which recognize it from other ages in English literature. In modern literature, authors often use different symbols to represent a particular concept. Forster also uses symbols to give additional meaning to his novel. The most important symbol in Forster’s novel is the Cave (Marber Cave). Forster use this symbol to show the nature of India .

In terms of Modernism, the literature tends to break the traditions. It is inner-self oriented and is generally found by using a stream of consciousness technique. In

A Passage to India, there are several examples of stream of consciousness way of thinking in the chapter of “ Temple”. For example, when Fielding asks Aziz to meet with Ralph and Stella and Aziz does not speak in turn. Instead, in the novel the writer wants reader to goes into the character’s thoughts, which are not linear but circular. It is an example of human mind and emotions. Moreover, in the book Forster is discussing the traditional values with a new window opened by Modernism. In Modernism, there is a philosophy “Make it new” the same as Forster applied in his novel “A Passage to India”. This term is about breaking the tradition. There is a clear example about breaking traditions in the novel, when after coming to Marabar caves, especially Mrs. Moore and Miss Adela Quested hear the sound of ”echo”. It leads to a confusion and causes to the arrestment of Dr. Aziz for assaulting her.