Theme in A Passage to India

Throughout A Passage to India, E.M. Forster incorporates cultural tension between the British imperialist and native Indians. The character foil between Adela Quested and Dr. Aziz demonstrates how the differences in environments between Great Britain and India create a divide between Mrs. Quested and Dr. Aziz. The author uses the cultural divide between the Indian natives and British to emphasize the theme that cultures are shaped by their environment. Mrs. Moore continually emphasizes how the landscape of India differs from that of Great Britain: "In England, the moon has seemed dead and alien; here she was caught in the shawl of night together with earth and all the other stars...She did not dislike Cousin Kate or the National Anthem, but their note had died into a new one" (Forster 28-29). The author includes imagery of a sari (Indian dressing for females) through the use of "shawl" to symbolize Indian culture. Forster portrays how the moon is a mutual celestial body for both India and England but the landscape differences between the two countries causes Mrs. Moore to change her perspective of the moon. Even just the change in landscape between India and England triggers Mrs. Moore to reevaluate her cultural ties. The author demonstrates how Mrs. Moore merely changing her geographic questions irks her to question her English culture; therefore, geography or the environment influenced Mrs. Moore's cultural affiliations presenting how cultures are influenced by the environment. In addition, Dr. Aziz describes how the rugged environment shapes Indian culture: "'Because India is part of the earth. And God has put us on the earth in order to be pleasant to each other. God...is...love'" (Forster 53). Aziz uses the terrain of the planet to create his perception of religion as India a gift from God; India a sanctuary for men to love each other. If Aziz had lived in the Sahara Desert with a desolate location and dry, arid climate, Aziz would have a different perception of God and religion, but because of the beautiful landscape of India, Aziz finds comfort spiritually in India. The author presents how Aziz builds his perception of religion based on the landscape around him. Finally, Forster blatantly states how the land helps formulate the divide between men: "Experiences, not character, divided them; they were not dissimilar, as humans go; indeed, when compared with the people who stood nearest to them in point of space they became practically identical" (Forster 91). Because the Englishwomen and Dr. Aziz shared the same environment and therefore similar experiences the two cultures merge together to create one new identity. Despite the Englishwomen and Aziz coming from different countries with totally different landscapes, the characters come together over mutual experience in the same environment of Chandrapore, India. In conclusion, the author uses the cultural contrasts between the Englishwomen and Aziz to demonstrate how environment shapes cultures. Forster no only contrasts English and Indian cultures but also how when placed together the Englishwomen and Dr. Aziz create their own experiences shaping their cultures.