Topic > The three stages of a journey illustrated in a passage in India

Forster's story in A Passage to India exists outside of the physical experiences of his characters. The novel is less a tale of Indian life under British rule than an attempt to map people's religious and interpersonal journeys. British colonial rule over India is, literally, the reason why the English and Indians interact, but their interactions with each other create personal changes. The structure of the novel demands attention to some characters more than others, particularly those whose thoughts about God and religion are manipulated the most. Furthermore, the passages relevant to these changes are not necessarily found in major events, such as Aziz's trial. The changes to be studied affect how the characters respect each other, the land, and God. The tripartite structure chronicles the process of transformation in which everything, especially religious perspectives, is questioned and then reformed. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay In Forster's Aspects of the Novel, the author invites his readers to appreciate "hourglass" novels (134). A Passage to India is one such book and we pay special attention to the middle section; Part II shocks the characters until they are released into Part III: The Bottom of the Hourglass. “Caves” contains both the climax of the story's actions and the climactic tension of spiritual confusion. The Marabar Caves symbolize this confusion, for "Nothing, nothing sticks to them, and their reputation - for they have one - does not depend on human speech" (137). Much will be said about Hinduism and its influence on the confusion of the caves, but "Hinduism... like Islam and Christianity, seems helpless in the face of the nihilistic message of the Marabar Caves" (Crews 176-177). Nothingness is a perpetual backdrop for history. It is difficult to observe how an author handles the topic of religion without first understanding their own religious views and reasons for writing. According to Frederick C. Crews, “Forster is not asserting a religious belief of his own, but is simply trying to be open-minded” (176). Much will be said about Hinduism and it must be understood that Forster is not in favor of Hinduism as a religion. He simply appreciates the aspect of religion that addresses "its disbelief in Providence, its sense of man's ignorance of divine truth, [and] its rejection of the idea of ​​a man-centered universe" ( 176). The great undercurrent of the final phase of the novel is the Hindu celebration in Part III. This commemoration shows readers how to bridge the gap between British and Indians, something the Bridge parties could never do. Few of the main characters are Hindu and none openly convert to Hinduism, but people like the atheist Fielding and the Muslim Aziz embrace friendship and peace between people. Both, especially Fielding, show a desire to treat everyone with mutual respect at all times. The title of Part III, "Temple", prefigures a break with God-man relationships between Muslims and Christians in favor of the universal harmony promoted by Hinduism. With the celebration, Forster has fun with Hinduism by showing its participants in jubilation, making it a happy belief system in which many have found hope. Forster's implicit solution to society's ills is not without flaws, and he alludes to this often. For example, the celebrations include glaring errors such as “God is love” on banners instead of “God is love.” Ironically, Indians put words into English to showthe universality of God and, therefore, the possible peace among men (320). Even the beautiful courtyard where part of the ceremony takes place "can just be glimpsed behind colorful rags, iridescent baubles, opaque pink glass chandeliers, and murky photographs framed askew" (318). The most compelling images are those of clearly visible and other times masked gods. One of them is constantly "completely obscured, when the wind blew, by the tattered foliage of a banana" (319). In this case, it is nature in the form of wind that prevents viewers from seeing God. This is exactly what happened with Mrs. Moore in the caves: she experienced nature, she understood harmony, but this scared her because she did not he could see God in any of it. Forster realizes that the idea of ​​harmony is a confusing notion, and highlights this when Mrs. Moore misinterprets Godbole's song and drives herself into despair. Forster's use of Mrs. Moore exemplifies the fact that universal harmony can be a difficult concept, especially for those who are accustomed to much simpler interpretations of God. The English assign labels and seek order in everything not only to understand, but to maintain control. In essence, what they can define, they can control. There is no order in India and there is no label to be placed on individuals' relationships with the universe. Westerners "had no apparatus for judging" (293), but Forster will find some Westerners, besides Fielding, who are capable of adequately evaluating India and its people. Adela also has problems with labeling, as we see with the green bird on the tree. Ironically, she was terribly afraid of being labeled an Anglo-Indian wife because of the immediate associations she would absorb. Adela felt the weakness that comes with being on the other side of a label, because becoming an English wife in India would limit her words and actions. She came to India in Part I to meet her match and to find the "real India," but Adela found so much more when she entered the caves in Part II. The time she was most unsure about marriage was while she was in the caves. He knew that what he felt couldn't have a name. It was only when she found herself with Ronny and the innate physical instinct kicked in – something she could define – that she decided she wanted to marry him. At this point he thinks he has full control of his thoughts and emotions because he knew his instincts before, while he never knew the caves. Adela and Mrs. Moore visit the Marabar Caves soon after hearing Godbole's song. They both see the surrounding landscape as they head towards the caves. Both see the emptiness present in their surroundings. Adela finds an unanswered mystery in everything in the caves, including a stick she mistakes for a snake and the identity of its supposed ravager. Although she has truly known the attacker's identity all along, the mystery of the caves leaves her alone and unable to process events. Mrs. Moore, as a result, finds nothing but "boom," that monotonous sound that becomes every utterance, be it a word whispered in the ear or a prayer to the Almighty. Their emptiness greatly disturbs the women, and we know this because it pervades their dearest thoughts: Mrs. Moore about her religion and Adela about marriage. In Part III, Mrs. Moore and Adela's presences in the story are minimal. What they leave behind, however, is a lesson that helps readers in Part III. Parts I and II show, with Mrs Moore and Adela Questad, examples of British individuals attempting to find the romanticized "real India". Adela and Mrs. Moore stumble as they begin to understand India, but they becomerebels when they discover that nothing can be identified in India. They learn that it is not possible to label India or understand it in the concrete and absolute sense to which the West is accustomed. Because of what they have discovered, or what little they have actually unearthed, Mrs. Moore finds desperation and, for Adela, it all becomes too much to handle. Whether it's the first, second or third section, very little excitement actually occurs: the events that happen are given strength because of the implications. For example, the incident in the caves did not actually happen as claimed, yet it seems significant due to the tensions between Indians and English it raised. Forster clearly wants the focus of the novel to be on the events happening in the minds of his characters. By adding a third section to A Passage to India, the author shows that the novel is about the spiritual journeys of a group of individuals and not simply about an Indian overcoming the accusations of a British woman. When addressing Part I, according to W. H. Mason, "It is...the title 'Mosque' that should guide our reflection on the place of Part I in the composition of the novel" (Mason 25). Amidst all the discord between Indians and English, Mrs. Moore has the only positive experience with an Indian in the first part, and it takes place on common and sacred ground. For Christians there is eternal hope in salvation and heaven. Even with these factors, Mrs. Moore cannot overcome her new religious feelings. He realizes that the only hope for the earth lies in harmony, but is dejected when the caves "[rob] infinity and eternity of their vastness" (165). Everything his religion promised in the afterlife is swallowed up and echoes like "boom". His actions mean nothing. As a result, his words to God produce the same monotonous echo as his actions. The meeting in the mosque is, without a doubt, the most gripping incident in the novel. Alone, the encounter between the Muslim and the Christian is central to how much we see Dr. Aziz and Mrs. Moore change by the end of the novel. Undoubtedly, seeing a true friendship blossom between an Indian and an English woman motivates readers; this is particularly unique as English women are consistently more racist than men. Looking at the comparison more deeply, the relationship has disturbing implications because it is Aziz who leads Mrs. Moore to the caves in Part II, and it is in these caves that the old woman hears the echo of the omen. The meeting at the mosque, however, cannot be considered an isolated event. It becomes inextricably linked to Aziz's discussion with Mrs. Moore's son, Ralph Moore in the last of the three sections. Forster clearly indicates the bond between mother and son as Aziz also calls Ralph an "Oriental". The difference between mother and son is simple: Mrs. Moore met her death because her deeply held beliefs were questioned, while it is quite reasonable that Ralph, as a young man, might adopt, implement and better understand that philosophy that killed his mother. Aziz, a native Indian, cannot be an adequate guide either during the cave expedition or on the boat trip with Ralph. The young man is the one to whom Aziz gives control, because he symbolically unravels the mystery of India more skillfully than Aziz. Forster's optimism is ultimately not attributable solely to Aziz and Fielding, but is largely directed at Ralph and Stella Moore. Ralph and Stella seem more susceptible to the influence of universal harmony. All four characters, however, seem to understand the importance of this harmony which Forster considers ideal. The Hindu notion of faith is based on a fundamental premise: birth, death and rebirth. In the first part, Forster brings his characters to life,.