Quote:
Originally Posted by Sparrow
A thought that occurred to me was regarding parallels between 'The Machine Stops' and 'A Passage to India' (a previous MRBC choice) - Cyril Feilding, the Britisher who tries to break out of his social constraints and connect with the Indians, is similar to Kuno who is also trying to break out of his environment. In a sense they are both seeking to bring about a paradigm shift.
There may also be resonances between the books around 'spirituality v religion' - in the way Godbole, in 'A Passage to India', seeks deeper truths than the face of religion presents - but I haven't delved very far into that aspect of comparisons between the works.
It is interesting to consider what concerns of Forster's occupy him so much that they manifest themselves in more than work.
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It certainly is. I've just finished first proof-read of 'Maurice', which I've recently scanned (13-14 years since I read it last), so I'm sort of steeped in Forster at the moment. Am re-reading and proof-reading again right now.
I think themes such as 'spirituality vs religion' and 'culture vs nature' are probably the core themes of his works, so it's no wonder that you recognise it - in this instance in 'Passage to India'. That breaking with social constraints is - I would say - almost typical for Forster. It also typically shocks almost everyone else, as is the case here.
As for religion vs spirituality, I personally have too little experience with either and find it diffiult to understand it - though the ideas seem to be there.
Forster puts much worth in nature, natural instincts, over - especially - class+culture, but also intellect and logic. Kuno leaps over the boundaries to discover a new world - mostly driven by curiosity and inquisitiveness, while his mother reads/views other people's work and has no wish to go out, to experience for herself. Kuno is like the excited student, while she is the jaded lecturer, who've seen it all before. It is her (and her generation's) downfall that she has stopped recognising the signs of change.