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“A passage to India” is a novel/film, written by E. M. Forster and it depicts the racial tensions and problems between the Indians and the British colonists.
Like in “Heat and Dust” there are to different sorts of British colonists, the ones who totally consider the Indians as subordinate and only accept them as lower workers. As well there are British who are interested in the Indian culture and do not have such prejudices. In “Heat and Dust” during the colonial times, Olivia represents this character somehow, by her relationship to the Nawab and by having respect for the Indian culture and religions. In the film Mrs. Moore and Adela Quested (at least in the beginning) and Cyril Fielding represent this side being interest in Dr. Aziz and in liking him. On the other hand in the book “Heat and Dust” the rest of the colonial society rather belongs to the negative and devaluing side ,which in the film is represented by nearly everyone of the colonial society belonging to “the club”, including Adela’s fiancé.It has to be said that the Nawab is wealthy and rich whereas Dr.Aziz is rather poor.Of cause in both stories the British are the rich and ruling part of the society and the Indians are the poorer and working part of the society.It is as well remarkable that always the British women seem to be more affected by the cultural clashes. Another parallel can be seen in the way that different characters in the book and in the film point out the fact that India somehow changes the people…
by Paula
