• Presentation relating PCSR readings with primary text (Passage to India):

reader: Kimberly Jones
respondent: Brady Hutchison
recorder: Kimberly Jones

The Post Colonial Studies Reader article entitled "Orientalism" by Edward W. Said states "The Orient was almost a European invention, and had been since antiquity a place of romance, exotic beings, haunting memories and landscapes, remarkable experience. Now it was disappearing; in a sense it had happened, its time was over" (Said 87).

The idea of romantic and exotic landscapes is in contrast to how Forster describes Chandrapore in the beginning pages of the text. Chandrapore is described as "nothing extraordinary" and "barely distinguishable from the rubbish it deposits so freely. Forster further describes Chandrapore as "So abased, so monotonous is everything that meets the eye that when the Ganges comes down it might be expected to wash the excrescence back into the soul. Houses do fall, people are drowned and left rotting, but the general outline of the town persists, swelling here, shrinking there, like some low but indestructible form of life" (Forster 3). In contrast, the area where the English reside adheres much more to the romantic standard that exists in regard to Orientalism. The land of the Eurasians is described as "a city of gardens" and as having "toddy palms and neem trees and mangoes and pepul that were hidden behind the bazaars" (Forster 4).

The English live in an area that is aligned with the idea of the exotic associated with the Orient, but what many of the English do not understand is that physicality is not the center of mysticism. Spirituality is the important elements. In this sense, Forster is setting up the extreme differences in ideologies between the English and the Indians in the first pages of the text. In describing the English areas, Forster states that in the midst of all the vegetation, there was a civil station which "provokes no emotion." Even though the English are immersed in what they consider to be a mysterious and exotic place, most of them are never truly going to be able to understand Indians and fellow human beings. As a result, the English will probably remain outsiders in a land that will not willingly relinquish its secrets to them.

Forster continues to build on the opposing ideologies (the Occident vs. the Orient as stated in Said’s essay on p. 89 of the PCSR) throughout the second chapter of the text. In this chapter, Aziz and his friends discuss their relationship with the English, Aziz states, "Why talk about the English? Why be either friends with the fellows or not friends? Let us shut them out and be jolly" (Forster 9). The relationship between the English and Indians is constantly addressed, analyzed, and challenged in the text from the viewpoint of each group.

William Said’s essay develops the idea that there is a tendency for a greater amount of thought and wisdom associated with Eastern thought. "Therefore, as much as the West itself, the Orient is an idea that has a history and a tradition of thought, imagery and vocabulary that have given it reality and presence in the West" (Said 89). A scene that illustrates the Orient’s tendency toward thought and feeling is when Mrs. Moore encounters Aziz in the Mosque. Aziz represents an individual who is very subjective and focused on feelings and thoughts. He is excited to find someone who will listen to his opinions on Mrs. Callendar, and he is relieved to find someone who will sympathize with him. Aziz states to Mrs. Moore, "You know what others feel. Oh, if only others resembled you!" Mrs. Moore replies, "I don’t understand people very well. I only know whether I like or dislike them." To this, Aziz replies, "Then you are an Oriental" (Forster 21). In the first part of the text, most of the Indians are concerned with morality, honesty, and matters of the heart. In contrast, many of the English, such as Ronny, are depicted as practical and indifferent to gaining insight into actually understanding others. In fact, when Mrs. Moors encounters Aziz he is contemplating what he would like on his tombstone:

Alas, without one for thousands of years

The Rose will blossom and the spring will bloom

But those who have secretly understood my heart

They will approach and visit the grave where I lie.

The Orient is associated with wisdom of spirit, and this characteristic is present is Aziz. Aziz also sees this characteristic in Mrs. Moore, and, consequently, expresses that she is "Oriental" in reference to the ideologies he believes she possesses about relationships between people.

This comment is intriguing in relation to Said’s statement in the PCSR that "The imaginative examination of things Oriental was based more or less exclusively upon a sovereign western consciousness out of whose unchallenged centrality and Oriental world emerged, first according to general ideas about who or what was Oriental, then according to a detailed logic governed not simply by empirical reality but by a battery of desires, repressions, investments, and projections" (Said 89). Since "Orientalism" is a Western ideology, it is intriguing to hear an Indian using this terminology to describe a Western individual. This word is part of the western consciousness. This reveals many other issues because it depicts an individual in the position of a subject who is obviously very indoctrinated and educated into western ideology and thought, the culture that is dominating him.

There is an idea of mystery associated with Orientalism on the part of the English that pervades throughout the text. When Mrs. Moore and Adela arrived they were disappointed because they expected more mystery. The text states, "They had made such a romantic voyage across the Mediterranean and through the sands of Egypt to the harbour of Bombay, to find only a gridiron of bungalows at the end of it"(Forster 23). When Adela is complaining at the beginning of the text about not seeing the true India, Fielding suggests getting out and meeting the people. One solution to doing this is to have a Bridge Party to "Bridge the Gulf between the East and the West." However, in reference to Whitman’s poem, physical connection is meaningless unless there is a spiritual and intellectual connection between people. People will never begin to understand one another by placing them in close proximity to one another and exchanging superficial comments. In this sense, the term "Oriental" stated by Aziz indicates the idea of being able to obtain wisdom and understanding of the unity of humanity. After all, if physical closeness connected people, then characters such as Ronny would have insight into Indian culture, and this is not the case. He groups all Indians together. When he learns of his mothers’ conversation with Aziz, it does not matter than he is a doctor. He is appalled that she was conversing with a "Mohammadan." In his mind, there was nothing to learn from him.

There is a theme of the Orient equaling wisdom and Western ideologies representing indifference through the attributes of the characters in the text. For example, Aziz represents the subjective and feeling; Ronny represents the practical and controlling; and Fielding represents the indifference of the English.

On p. 120 of the text, Fielding describes how morality is describes how morality is declining in the west. The person he is talking to ask if this is the case then how can England justify holding India? He never really answers the question…he goes on to say that he is just here for a job.

On p. 128 of the text, Aziz does not understand why Fielding does not care if he ever has children. He states, "This indifference is what the Oriental will never understand."

If the Orient was considered mysterious, romantic, and exotic, were the Indians in the text viewed by the English as resources to unlocking this mystery? Were they viewed as individuals who could impart knowledge into the truths of the Orient? Or were they only treated as subjects?

The English men treated the Indians worse than the English women did. How is it that the immoral West could hold the moral East hostage? (Jill)

There were power issues involved. The white men treated their Indian servants very poorly because that is how they could exert their power. (Verena)

There is a universal theme in literature focusing on differences between men. Mankind tried to find difference between himself and others. He is grounded in a feeling of insecurity.

The text is not just showing the differences, but also the English men’s attempt to maintain their position and status. If they viewed the Indians as human beings where would the English place themselves? The educated Indians threatened them. In order to maintain their power, they had to view he Indians as subjects. (Sylvia)

The Indians have a long culture and history. The English tend to ignore these landmarks. (Kasi)

Women’s roles have not changed much in India. Men do not want women to be exposed to foreigners. Purdah is the covering of a woman’s face. (Saganti)

Each ethnic layer has its own prejudices. The English would listen to the Indians as long as they met their ideal illusion. (Dale)