The Making-up Of The "Other" In A Passage To India

As one of the classics in English literature, A Passage to India, is also a critical success. It does not only tell a story about the India and Indians during the period of British colony, but it also contains rich cultural implications. Critics have interpreted it from diverse perspectives of politics, race, religion and culture. Based on postcolonial theory, the thesis makes a study of the"other"in A Passage to India, aiming at uncovering various"other"and exploring the reasons for the make-up of the"other"in the novel.This thesis is composed of an introduction, three chapters and a conclusion.The first part, Introduction, tries to analyze the geographical descriptions in A Passage to India. The geographical descriptions contain the chaotic arrangement of the city where the story mainly takes place, the Marabar hills and caves, as well as its climate. The second chapter reveals the Indians as the"other"through the depiction of the British in contrast to that of the Indians. It deals with the sense of superiority of the Anglo-Indians, the double-consciousness of Adela and Fielding, depictions of Professor Godbole, Aziz as well as those of other Indians in A Passage to India. The third chapter inspects the portrayal of a backward India by E.M. Forster and gives the major reasons of the make-up of the"other"in A Passage to India. The last part summarizes the thesis as well as A Passage to India. It also presents a view that the major reason for the making-up of the"other"in A Passage to India is that it serves the interests of the British Empire.