Aziz-Fielding relationship in Forster’s A Passage to India

A Passage to India by E. M. Forster is a rich, postcolonial novel delving into the possibility of
sustaining a personal friendship between an English person and an Indian person. This topic is
being discussed in the beginning of the novel at the home of Hamidullah, “… they were
discussing as to whether or no(t) it is possible to be friends with an Englishman. Mahmoud
Ali argued that it was not, Hamidullah disagreed, but with so many reservations…”
However, Aziz who is in the limelight in Forster’s A Passage to India has the disposition to just
shut them out and ignore them and all will be jolly there. Of course, later, we find Aziz does not
shut them out and rather allows them to nest in his own self respect, and cause insecurity while
trying to befriend them. Aziz tries to initiate, and sustain lasting personal relationships with the
English, and fails to do so with them. Forster in this novel uses personal relationships as a
yardstick to measure the failings and achievements of his characters. In this context, the
relationship between Aziz and Fielding is the most significant. In spite of so many barriers of
race and character, the two men succeed in creating a unique rapport that stands out as evidence
of the power of goodwill and kindness.

The difference between the two men can be noticed in their first meeting. Fielding
appears as a genial, reserved, liberal and mature person who is full of goodwill and
consideration. On the other hand, Aziz is impulsive and unreserved man given to extreme of love
and jealousy, affection and rancour. At the tea party, unlike Fielding, Aziz throws shyness and
reserve to the winds and becomes gay and exuberant. This contrast in temperament can be seen
in the following lines: “Fielding says, emotions should be in proportion to their objects. To
this Aziz retorts, Is emotion a sack of potatoes, so much the pound, to be measured out?
Am I a machine? I shall be told I can use up my emotions by using them, next”. Also, there
is the difficulty of communication due to Aziz’s imperfect handling of the English language. For
instance, Fielding’s casual remark, “Please make yourself at home”, is misunderstood by Aziz
as a signal for unconventional behaviour.

In spite of these fundamental differences of culture and temperament, the two enter into a
genuine friendship that dissolves the various barriers between them. Fielding is struck by the
liveliness exhibited by the youthful Aziz on the entrance of ladies and encourages his eloquence.
To this, Aziz is overwhelmed and gratifies the warmth and affection extended by Fielding. On
their second meeting, Aziz gratefully appreciates Fielding’s gesture of coming in his house
hearing of his illness. He tries to repay the moving action of friendship. He shows Fielding his
dead wife’s photograph.

Though Fielding shows himself deeply moved by Aziz’s noble gesture, he realizes he is
unable to bring the same amount of emotion to their relationship. At this stage, we notice the
complications underlying the instinctive and impulsive understanding reached between the both.
Aziz was highly imaginative and Fielding has an undeveloped imagination. The latter cannot
surrender whole-heartedly to any new person or experience as his friend did. He finds it difficult
to believe that kindness alone can solve India’s problems. It was due to these reasons; the gesture
of friendship, while deeply appreciated by Fielding also puts him off slightly from Aziz.
However, Aziz’s former admiration of the Englishman is replaced; he says, “No Englishman
understands except Mr. Fielding”.

These misunderstandings and complications do not have place in the earlier part of the
novel because of the trust they have on each other. They creep in their relation when they are
celebrating the success of their friendship which has survived Aziz’s arrest and his trial.
Imprisonment changes Aziz; while remaining good-tempered and affectionate he has become
formidable so that he is determined to take revenge upon Adela for ruining his career. Fielding,
moved by the pity of helpless Adela urges Aziz of not doing so but the latter is determined. This
revengeful attitude disgraces Fielding. He says, “It disgraces me to have been mentioned in
connexion with such a hag”. This led Aziz to believe that Fielding is pleading for Adela
because he wants to marry her for her money. This suspicious nature was a part of his personality
as such, leads him to break with Fielding.

After two years, we find Aziz again a man with a difference. He is now an implacable
enemy of the British and has cast his lot with Indian nationalism too firmly to think of reunion
with his former friend. However, Ralph Moore (son of Mrs. Moore) by the power of his
mysterious personality forces Aziz against his will to forget his hatred for British. At Mau, the
collision of Aziz’s boat with Fielding on the river in an atmosphere of joyous celebration of Lord
Krishna festival releases his spirit and he befriends with Fielding again, all misunderstandings
removed, suspicion dissolved. They revive all their former affection.

Yet, the two men realize soon that their characters and outlook have changed radically.
Fielding is now siding with Anglo-India and Aziz with Indian nationalism. They cannot continue
their friendship under these circumstances. It can be said that their former personal
understanding was too fragile to be maintained under all circumstances. The last discussion in
the story is between Fielding and Aziz that takes place in the Mau Jungles during their last trip.
Here, once more, even after being reunited into friendship, they realise that they are no longer
going to meet. All the misunderstandings between them were worked out and still they can no
longer socialize. They are separated by ethnic and ethnic divisions and personal
misunderstandings.

To conclude, through the friendship between Aziz and Fielding, Forster in A Passage to
India thus tells us the dynamic contradictions between East and West and the complexities in
human contact that inevitably intervene and make it hard for two separate human beings to
maintain their partnership. In the context of Aziz-Fielding relationship in Forster’s A Passage to
India, Priestley’s observation on the relationship between two differently racial persons is
mention-worthy: “It should be recognized that wherever racism exists, it exists on both the
sides because racism is essentially a culture clash in which members of different cultures,
feeling an identity with other members of their culture, respond defensively to any attack
(or inferred threat) on any member of the group as an attack upon themselves. The attacks,
physical or otherwise, are expressions of various fears, envies, or desires to protect
interests.”