I’ve never read A Passage To India. But, after reading the premise of the novel, it sounds like what you might get if you moved the plot of To Kill A Mockingbird to India.
An Englishwoman accuses a well-respected Indian doctor of assaulting her, and all hell breaks loose. The racial tension between the English, who have recently occupied India, and the Indian residents.
Sounds like an intriguing book.
Here are some quick facts about A Passage To India and E.M. Forster:
- The novel was published in 1924 and is the oldest novel on the Time list.
- In addition to appearing on the Time list, A Passage To India is ranked 25th on the Modern Library’s Top 100.
- A 1984 film based on the book, starring Judy Davis, Victor Bannerjee, James Fox, Peggy Ashcroft, and Alec Guinness won two Oscars.
- The Marabar Caves, prominently featured in the novel, are modeled on the Barabar Caves of Bihar.
- Forster is the author of numerous short stories and novels, including A Room With A View, The Longest Journey, and Howards End.
- A Passage To India was the last novel written by Forster while he was still living. He died in 1970 at the age of 91.
Interesting final fact there. From 1924 until his death in 1970, Forster never published another novel.
Considering he published 5 novels between 1905 and 1924, it’s strange that Forster never wrote another one, though he did write a crapload of short stories during that period.
Why did Forster never write another novel? Might be topic for another post.
So if you’ve read A Passage To India, what do you think?