An Analysis of the Relationship Between Aziz and Fielding in "A Passage to India"
"Why talk about the English? Brrrr...!" An Outlook on Aziz's
Attempts to "Bridge the Gap" A Passage To India by E. M. Forster is a rich, postcolonial novel delving into the possibility of sustaining a personal friendship between an English person and an "Indian" person. This topic is being discussed in the beginning of the novel at the home of Hamidullah, "... they were discussing as to whether or no(t) it is possible to be friends with an Englishman. Mahmoud Ali argued that it was not, Hamidullah disagreed, but with so many reservations..." (Forster 7) Aziz, who the novel centers around, has the disposition to just shut them out and ignore them and all will be jolly. Of course, later, we find Aziz does not shut them out and rather allows them to nest in his own self respect, and cause insecurity while trying to befriend them. I will argue that Aziz tries to initiate, and sustain lasting personal relationships with the English, and fails to do so with all three of his subjects, Mrs. Moore, Ms. Quested, and Dr. Fielding; also I will attempt to reveal the novel's latent, transgressive sexuality motivating Dr. Aziz's advances towards Dr. Fielding; and how the relationship attempted with Mrs. Moore was nothing more then the love of the idea of a "perfect" friendship. These theories once presented, will also reveal Forster's own fatalistic attitude towards the age that he lived in and the pessimistic mood that permeates the narrative. Mrs. Moore and Ms. Quested are new to India, and haven't been inundated with the imperalist attitudes of the Anglo Indians. When Mrs. Moore enters the mosque with her shoes off, Aziz is startled to find that an Englishwoman would observe his muslim customs and when she says that God is here, he is instantly intrigued. Here is a woman with some empathy and sympathy. Azizs subsequent questioning of her begins to show similarities between them and he declares that she is an Oriental. Ms. Quested and Mrs. Moore are looking to see the
Attempts to "Bridge the Gap" A Passage To India by E. M. Forster is a rich, postcolonial novel delving into the possibility of sustaining a personal friendship between an English person and an "Indian" person. This topic is being discussed in the beginning of the novel at the home of Hamidullah, "... they were discussing as to whether or no(t) it is possible to be friends with an Englishman. Mahmoud Ali argued that it was not, Hamidullah disagreed, but with so many reservations..." (Forster 7) Aziz, who the novel centers around, has the disposition to just shut them out and ignore them and all will be jolly. Of course, later, we find Aziz does not shut them out and rather allows them to nest in his own self respect, and cause insecurity while trying to befriend them. I will argue that Aziz tries to initiate, and sustain lasting personal relationships with the English, and fails to do so with all three of his subjects, Mrs. Moore, Ms. Quested, and Dr. Fielding; also I will attempt to reveal the novel's latent, transgressive sexuality motivating Dr. Aziz's advances towards Dr. Fielding; and how the relationship attempted with Mrs. Moore was nothing more then the love of the idea of a "perfect" friendship. These theories once presented, will also reveal Forster's own fatalistic attitude towards the age that he lived in and the pessimistic mood that permeates the narrative. Mrs. Moore and Ms. Quested are new to India, and haven't been inundated with the imperalist attitudes of the Anglo Indians. When Mrs. Moore enters the mosque with her shoes off, Aziz is startled to find that an Englishwoman would observe his muslim customs and when she says that God is here, he is instantly intrigued. Here is a woman with some empathy and sympathy. Azizs subsequent questioning of her begins to show similarities between them and he declares that she is an Oriental. Ms. Quested and Mrs. Moore are looking to see the