Thoughts on A Passage to India

I jotted down a few notes while I read this book, but then decided to pare them down here so there wouldn't be any spoilers! So, these are just a few general impressions that stuck out to me as I read this book.

The way Forster captures the tension between the big picture of what was going on in India during the British Raj and the little, banal aspects in the everyday lives of the characters is kind of amazing. It's the sum of it all that makes this book so subtle, complex, and fascinating. It's how he gets inside the characters' heads and you become convinced of their misconceptions (there is one particular instance of this at the very end, which I won't spoil, but where I genuinely believed what the character thought and then realized after it wasn't true). But, it isn't just a book about India. It's about human nature and how people misunderstand, miscommunicate, and erroneously perceive the words, actions, and cultures of others--sometimes even to the point of complete breakdown in relationships.

Anyway, I thought it was a beautifully written, carefully crafted, and intriguing book that transcends its time and setting. I loved how it was filled with symbols (the caves, the green bird, the echo, the wasp, the contrast of architectural styles, etc.), many of which appear repeatedly throughout the book. Perhaps what I appreciated most about it is that it doesn't offer any easy solutions or explanations.

I'm glad we read this book. I'm anxious to know what the rest of you think about it! 

PS: I started watching the film the other night, but still have a way to go (it's a couple of hours long). It's really good. I love the costumes in these colonial period films (this film, Out of Africa, Indochine). So great.