The question that A Passage to India poses is if an Englishman and an Indian man can be companions. The UK colonized India not because they wanted to welcome foreigners but for its resources. Aziz holds the British in contempt for this very reason refusing initially to befriend Fielding. It is not until Mrs Moore visits the mosque that he becomes open to the possibility of friendship. Probably because Mrs Moore was actually interested in the culture, not seeking to appropriate it, and had thoroughly researched Muslim customs and traditions. Mrs Moore’s visit to the mosque shows that if you are sensitive to that person’s culture and treat them as an equal, not showing condescending sympathy, there is a possibility for friendship despite any cultural differences.

it seems that the architecture in A Passage to India represents many aspects of the difference in Eastern and Western ideals. While Foster presents details of both, his account of India’s architecture changes throughout the book. In the beginning, it is almost regarded as unfinished and confusing – lacking attention to logic; however, Foster shifts the view near the ending with “Temple”. He shows the openness and mysticism of India. 

His account of Eastern architecture seems to stay stagnant. This is protrayed through Fielding’s visit to Venice. Fielding comments on the form and perfection of the buildings, saying they complement the land they are made upon. This account makes me wonder if a friendship between the two would ever work well. While one constantly changes and forms to something new, the other is stoic and only views itself as the “correct” version of society. 

I spent much of my high school career binge watching horror movies and the ones that stick as being particularly spooky or frightening tended to involve ghosts, this is because it relates to a less tangible feel of human serial killers but instead to primal fear of “others” and lack of control. This can be applied to A Passage to India as it relates to the stress between the English and the Indians. England is trying to control the Indians, an autonomous population not looking to be controlled by outsiders, and both cultures are “others”, outsiders to each other. This since of isolation and lack of autonomy is terrifying, to be controlled by a presence you don’t understand. During the second portion of the book, this is more apparent as the differences between English and Indian culture come to a head, Aziz ends up in jail and the English population believes Adela’s accusation simply because she is one of them, Aziz is considered guilty because he is Indian and their climate has this effect on them (the Indian people). Both cultures are haunted by each other, by the cultural, religious, and historical differences between them. This underlying fear each culture has of the other, is a driving force in much of the plot and is symbolized through much of the trauma of Adela’s sexual assault accusations and Aziz’s innocence.

In the third part of E. M Forster’s A Passage to India the theme of haunting shifts a bit more to the literal sense. Mrs. Moore, having died in part two, is certainly the main influence in this shift. Evidence of her haunting is apparent for example when Godpole appears to actually see her. It is said, “He had, with increasing vividness, again seen Mrs. Moore, and round her faintly clinging forms of trouble. He was a Brahman, she Christian, but it made no difference, it made no difference whether she was a trick of his memory or a telepathic appeal.” (pg. 285). This line is interesting in that it is not the first to connect Mrs. Moore to the concept of telepathy. As far as we know however, Adela’s brief suggestion of Mrs. Moore being capable of such a thing was never mentioned to Godpole. He also mentions, “One old Englishwoman and one little, little wasp.” (pg. 286). Mrs. Moore’s encounter with the wasp nearer to the beginning of the story is of course another interaction that Godpole surely would not have been aware of. What might be the most compelling though, is the chant of Mrs. Moore’s name that can still ring in Aziz’ head. Stated, “Moore’s name was mentioned, stirring memories. “Esmiss Esmoor . . .”–as though she was coming to help him.” (pg. 298), The chant from the trial seems to have evolved into its own version of the haunting echo.

“Clear out, clear out, I say. Why are we put to so much suffering? We used to blame you, now we blame ourselves, we grow wiser. Until England is in difficulties we keep silent, but in the next European war – aha, aha! Then it is our time. . . . Down with the English anyhow. That’s certain. Clear out, you fellows, double quick I say. We may hate one another, but we hate you most” and then, “he concluded, half kissing him, “you and I shall be friends” (Forster 362).

I find this quote very interesting, because the last conversation between both Aziz and Fielding express their want to be friends, however the universe won’t allow their friendship to prevail, because of their differences. I find that the last conversation includes quite a lot of expression on how some Indians tolerate the British only for political reasons. Aziz makes it clear that the English don’t belong in India, that any foreign European ideology and aspect should dissipate, which would ultimately prevent a friendship between the races. From this quote, I began to ponder the possible thought that perhaps no member of the occupied race (Indians) can really be friends with a member of the master race (Englishmen). As long as the colonialists rule the colonized, they will always resent one another, thus preventing Aziz and Fielding from continuing their friendship, in time when the British leave India, then that will be the right time to be friends again.

Alex Lotti

In class we discussed how Mrs. Moore appears to be haunted by religion, be it through her diminishing Christianity or her rising exposure to Hinduism. As the story progresses, however, Mrs. Moore transitions from haunted to haunter. The fact that her most significant quality in the beginning of the novel is her intuition, in opposition to Adela’s intellect, establishes her as a spiritual character whether she realizes it or not. After her death, the memory of Mrs. Moore becomes inextricably intertwined with Hinduism when her association with a wasp returns in Godbole’s mind. Her connection to the lowly insect draws on the Hindu belief that everything in the universe is harmoniously woven together.

Mrs. Moore also haunts Aziz through her children, though mainly her two sons. Aziz struggles between his hate for Ronny and his love for Mrs. Moore in order to tolerate Ralph, so his ultimate reunion with Fielding after the disastrous boat ride was indirectly granted through Mrs. Moore. This last thought may be a bit of a stretch, but it echoes the Hindu theme of universal interconnection.

There are many forms of being haunted. Some are mystical and others can be psychological. Aziz is haunted by his arrest, the bitterness still clouding his judgement. His overactive imagination overpowers him and leads to a lot of his less than savory choices. He’s made assumptions, had suspicions, and relied on his own beliefs for so long that this false narrative he’s created has one upped him. Still plagued by the damage dealt to his reputation, Aziz holds on to that bitterness and his past actions haunt him in part 3 of this story. 

Until he can let go of his assumptions, or officially have them proved false, such as learning that Fielding did not marry Adela, he’s weighed down by his bitter attitude, his past mistakes, and his assumptions. Of course, when he does learn the truth, he’s freed of this haunting bitterness but still torn between his new range of emotions that he experiences when he learns he’s embarrassed himself by making assumptions in the first place. I suppose he will always be slightly haunted by the situation if not mostly free from it in the end. That does not mean neither he nor Fielding do not suffer from making the same mistakes nor that they do not make new ones. Again, I suppose that if you cannot learn from your mistakes they will always truly haunt you. These two characters are victims of circumstance. They can try to have new, well intentions, but they are going to have to truly work for them, and their are many outside circumstances waiting to sway them. It’s like being haunted by your own cultural differences. 

Throughout the first half of the novel, Aziz remains complicit in the integration of British values in India. Fielding remains loyal to Aziz, helping him in any way that he can including voicing his support for Aziz when he is arrested on false charges. However, we see a change in both characters after the trial. When Aziz is released after Adela recants her accusations, Aziz completely turns away from British influence and devotes himself fully to his Indian heritage. Fielding, believing that Adela should be treated less harshly, switches sides and abandons Aziz. While Aziz’s shift in values is praised, Fielding’s is not. Fielding betrayed his friend and became complicit in the divide between the Englishmen and the Indians. By taking Adela’s side and going on to marry Mrs. Moore’s daughter, he decided to accept the racism during this time instead of continuing to fight against it. Aziz’s change in character is an admirable accomplishment because he decided to fight against British influence instead of enabling it. 

I’m using a non-standard version of the book, so I’m not sure what the page number is, but at the end of the fourth paragraph into the first chapter of Temple, the quotation “God si Love” is used. This message is hung on the wall of the Hindu temple that Professor Godbole belongs to, written in English in an attempt to convey universality. This quotation echoes Mrs. Moore’s words to Ronny near the beginning of the novel: “God…is …love.” These quotations almost book-end the novel, showing the change that has occurred along the way. Mrs. Moore’s message of all-embracing love has been changed, reversed; it has died and come back in a different form. Although one could say that Mrs. Moore’s message has been somewhat broken, showing the essential breakdown in love that takes place over the course of the story, I think it more reflects the opposite. Although her message has been lost, changed, reversed, and now lives in a setting completely different from the one in which she dispensed it, Mrs. Moore’s simple “God is love” has endured the story. The recurrence of the message seems to suggest that it is the one true universal.

Hayley Gillespie

In A Passage to India and in The Turn of the Screw people have visions of people that are not actually there. In The Turn of the Screw we see this with the governess. She claims to see ghosts and apparitions of people that may just be hallucinations. It is never exactly confirmed by any of the other characters that the ghosts she sees are real. A Passage to India also features a ghostly figure that could be a hallucination. Adela admits in her trial that she does not believe that the figure she saw was Aziz or the guide. She describes a shadowing figure that had her trapped but never touched her. No one can confirm this incident and Fielding even suggests to her that the figure she saw was just a hallucination from feeling unwell.