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Description edit
Among the greatest novels of the twentieth century and the basis for director David Lean’s Academy Award-winning film, A Passage to India tells of the clash of cultures in British India after the turn of the century. In exquisite prose, Forster reveals the menace that lurks just beneath the... read more
Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis edit
Characters/People edit
- Dr. Aziz: A young Muslim Indian physician who works at the British hospital. He is rather emotional, and slightly overbearing.
- Cyril Fielding: Headmaster of Chandrapore's Government College, which educates Indians in the area. He is highly tolerant and very respectful towards the Indians. He later befriends Dr. Aziz.
- Mrs. Moore: A thoughtful elderly woman who travels to Chandrapore with Adela Quested, to visit her son, Ronny Heaslop, and also to oversee his engagement to Adela.
- Adela Quested: A young British schoolmistress who travels with Mrs. Moore to visit Chandrapore, and also with the intention of marrying Mrs. Moore's son Ronny. She desires to see the "real" India, but instead only sees what she wants to believe is the "real" India.
- Ronny Heaslop: The British city magistrate of Chandrapore. He is engaged to Adela and has the intention of marrying her.
- Hamidullah: Aziz's uncle and friend.
- Mahmoud Ali: A Muslim Indian barrister who openly hates the British.
- Mr. Turton: The British city collector of Chandrapore.
- Mrs. Turton: Mr. Turton's openly racist wife.
- Major Callendar: The British head doctor and Aziz's superior.
- Mr. McBryde: The British superintendent of police in Chandrapore.
- Mrs. McBryde: A minor character who is a part of the English community.
- Miss Derek: An Englishwoman employed by a Hindu royal family. She is much more boisterous and easygoing than her stiff and reserved companions.
- Ralph Moore: A timid, sensitive and discerning youth, the second son of Mrs. Moore.
- Dr. Panna Lal: Aziz's rival at the hospital. He is a low-born Hindu doctor.
- Stella Moore: Mrs. Moore's daughter and Fielding's wife.
- Narayan Godbole: An elderly Brahmin who views the world with equanimity. He remains completely aloof to the novel's conflicts.
Setting & Locations edit
The novel takes place in British India during the 1920's.
- India
- Chandrapore: A fictional city, based on the city of Bankipur, a suburb of Patna in the state of Bihar.
- Marabar Caves: A distant cave complex famous in the city, in which the climax of the novel takes place.
- England
- Calcutta
- Bombay
- Europe
- Dilkusha
- Kashmir
- Venice
- Cow Hospital
- London
First Sentence edit
Except for the Marabar Caves - and they are twenty miles off - the city of Chandrapore presents nothing extraordinary.
Table of Contents edit
I. Mosque
Chapters I-XI
II. Caves
Chapters XI-XXXII
III. Temple
Chapters XXXIII-XXXVII
Series & Lists edit
This is book 39 of 96 in Waterstone's Top 100 Books of the 20th Century. (authoritative list)
Preceded by Heart of Darkness, and followed by Watership Down.
This is book 64 of 91 in The Novel 100: A Ranking of the Greatest Novels of All Time, 2004. (authoritative list)
Preceded by The Awakening, and followed by Herzog.
This is book 38 of 96 in Newsweek's Top 100 Books: The Meta-List. (authoritative list)
Preceded by The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and followed by On the Road.
This is book 25 of 93 in Modern Library's 100 Best Novels: The Board's List. (authoritative list)
Preceded by Winesburg, Ohio, and followed by The Wings of the Dove.
This is book 62 of 113 in Book Smart Reading List. (community list)
Preceded by Time and Again, and followed by Brave New World.
This book is in TIME Magazine Top 100 English-Language Novels. (community list)
This is book 708 of 1272 in 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die. (authoritative list)
Preceded by We, and followed by The Devil in the Flesh.
This is book 26 of 29 in Biblioteka XX. stoljeće (Jutarnji list). (edition-based publisher list)
Preceded by Animal Farm, and followed by The Late Mattia Pascal.
This is book 45 of 100 in 20th Century's Greatest Hits: 100 English-Language Books of Fiction. (authoritative list)
Preceded by Brave New World, and followed by Double or Nothing.
This book is in Guardian 1000 Novels Everyone Must Read. (authoritative list)
This is book 44 of 214 in Best English-Language Fiction of the 20th Century. (authoritative list)
Preceded by Winnie-the-Pooh, and followed by Of Mice and Men.
First Edition edit
Original Language: English
Publisher: Edward Arnold
Country: England
Publication Date: 1924
ISBN: 9780141441160
Page Count: 362
Publisher: Edward Arnold
Country: England
Publication Date: 1924
ISBN: 9780141441160
Page Count: 362
Classification edit
- Library of Congress: Add the Library of Congress Classification.
- Dewey: 823.912
Subjects edit
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Movie Connections edit
- A Passage to India (IMDb): 1984 release.
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