E.M. Forester David Pierce

Thesis  E.M. Forester’s well-plotted novels draw attention because of his attachment to mysticism and his secular humanist beliefs.

Early Years  Forester was born January 1, 1879 in London.  He was an only child.  His father was an architect and died when Forester was only a year old.

Continued  Most of his boyhood was dominated by women.  He later inherited £8,000 in trust as a young boy from his great aunt in  This made it possible for him to live on and become a writer.  Forester’s childhood was the happiest time of his life.

Travel  After leaving the university he traveled with his mother.  They traveled through Italy for a year then a cruise to Greece following.  Forester also visited Egypt, Germany, and India.  During these travels he gathered the material that he needed for his early novels.

Continued  He began to satirize the attitudes of English tourists. This is shown in A Passage to India.  When returning from travel he began to write a new independent review that was launched in 1903 by a group of Cambridge friends. In 1904 he published his first short story, The Story of a Panic.

Published Novels  These novels had great success and made Forester a well known author. Where Angels Fear to Tread – 1905 Where Angels Fear to Tread – 1905 The Longest Journey – 1907 The Longest Journey – 1907 A Room with a View – 1908 A Room with a View – 1908 Howards End – 1910 Howards End – 1910 A Passage to India – 1924 A Passage to India – 1924

A Passage to India  Published in 1924  This was his last novel and the most famous of his work.

A Passage to India - Summary  Mrs. Moore and Adela Quested are traveling to India on a ship.  Mrs. Moore is elderly and wants to discover the real India.  Her son Ronny is a British magistrate.  Mrs.Moore wants Adela Quested, the young women to marry him.

A Passage to India - Summary  The Muslim doctor Aziz is enraged because his English authority, Major Chandler calls him for a daughting task as he usually does.  Aziz does not have a positive view on the English.

A Passage to India - Summary  Eventually Mrs.Moore meets the Muslim doctor Aziz.  Aziz is surprised because Mrs.Moore treats him well when the other English don’t.  Aziz sets up the trip to the Marbar caves. The caves were considered one of the only exciting things in Chandrapore.

A Passage to India - Summary  Aziz gets offended from one of Adela’s remarks and runs off into the cave alone.  Adela Quested accuses Aziz of raping her.  In the weeks following, the racial tensions increase and Mrs. Moore is miserable because she keeps hearing echoes from the cave. She plans to return to England early but dies on the way back.

A Passage to India - Summary  Adela Quested ends up stating that someone else attacked her in the caves and not Aziz.  She breaks up her engagement with Ronny (who Mrs.Moore wanted her to marry) and returns to England.

A Passage to India - Summary  Aziz renews some friendships and says they can all be friends once the English are out of India. The last section explains, “No not yet…. No, not there.”  Trailer Trailer

Quote  “Charm, in most men and nearly all women, is a decoration.” ~E.M. Forester ~E.M. Forester  Forester exposes situations that he finds are not right.  An example of this is in A Passage to India when he criticizes the attitudes of English tourists in India.

Conclusion  Many people know of E.M. Forester through his many film adaptations made from his work.  Forester had concrete ideas, irrational thoughts, and believed in a philosophy that upholds reason and ethics.

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