Here's a question set from earlier this year. Includes a general essay question and a passage based.
Either (a) In the novel, Mrs Moore says, ‘India’s a muddle.’
Discuss the importance of this view to Forster’s presentation of India.
Discuss the importance of this view to Forster’s presentation of India.
Or
(b) Comment closely on the following passage, considering ways in which it presents the relationship between Fielding and Aziz’s friends.
‘The whole world looks to be dying, still it doesn’t die, so we must assume the existence of a beneficent Providence.’
‘Oh, that is true, how true!’ said the policeman, thinking religion had been praised.
‘Does Mr Fielding think it’s true?’
‘Think which true? The world isn’t dying. I’m certain of that!’
‘No, no – the existence of Providence.’
‘Well, I don’t believe in Providence.’
‘But how then can you believe in God?’ asked Syed Mohammed.
‘I don’t believe in God.’
A tiny movement as of ‘I told you so!’ passed round the company, and Aziz looked up for an instant, scandalized. ‘Is it correct that most are atheists in England now?’ Hamidullah inquired.
‘The educated thoughtful people? I should say so, though they don’t like the name. The truth is that the West doesn’t bother much over belief and disbelief in these days. Fifty years ago, or even when you and I were young, much more fuss was made.’
‘And does not morality also decline?’
‘It depends what you call – yes, yes, I suppose morality does decline.’
‘Excuse the question, but if this is the case, how is England justified in holding India?’
There they were! Politics again. ‘It’s a question I can’t get my mind onto,’ he replied. ‘I’m out here personally because I needed a job. I cannot tell you why England is here or whether she ought to be here. It’s beyond me.’
‘Well-qualified Indians also need jobs in the educational.’
‘I guess they do; I got in first,’ said Fielding, smiling.
‘Then excuse me again – is it fair an Englishman should occupy one when Indians are available? Of course I mean nothing personally. Personally we are delighted you should be here, and we benefit greatly by this frank talk.’
There is only one answer to a conversation of this type: ‘England holds India for her good.’ Yet Fielding was disinclined to give it. The zeal for honesty had eaten him up. He said: ‘I’m delighted to be here too – that’s my answer, there’s my only excuse. I can’t tell you anything about fairness. It mayn’t have been fair I should have been born. I take up some other fellow’s air, don’t I, whenever I breathe? Still, I’m glad it’s happened, and I’m glad I’m out here. However big a badmash one is – if one’s happy in consequence, that’s some justification.’
The Indians were bewildered. The line of thought was not alien to them, but the words were too definite and bleak. Unless a sentence paid a few compliments to Justice and Morality in passing, its grammar wounded their ears and paralysed their minds. What they said and what they felt were (except in the case of affection) seldom the same. They had numerous mental conventions, and when these were flouted they found it very difficult to function. Hamidullah bore up best. ‘And those Englishmen who are not delighted to be in India – have they no excuse?’ he asked.
‘None. Chuck ’em out.’
‘It may be difficult to separate them from the rest,’ he laughed.
‘Worse than difficult, wrong,’ said Mr Ram Chand. ‘No Indian gentleman approves chucking out as a proper thing. Here we differ from those other nations. We are so spiritual.’
‘Think which true? The world isn’t dying. I’m certain of that!’
‘No, no – the existence of Providence.’
‘Well, I don’t believe in Providence.’
‘But how then can you believe in God?’ asked Syed Mohammed.
‘I don’t believe in God.’
A tiny movement as of ‘I told you so!’ passed round the company, and Aziz looked up for an instant, scandalized. ‘Is it correct that most are atheists in England now?’ Hamidullah inquired.
‘The educated thoughtful people? I should say so, though they don’t like the name. The truth is that the West doesn’t bother much over belief and disbelief in these days. Fifty years ago, or even when you and I were young, much more fuss was made.’
‘And does not morality also decline?’
‘It depends what you call – yes, yes, I suppose morality does decline.’
‘Excuse the question, but if this is the case, how is England justified in holding India?’
There they were! Politics again. ‘It’s a question I can’t get my mind onto,’ he replied. ‘I’m out here personally because I needed a job. I cannot tell you why England is here or whether she ought to be here. It’s beyond me.’
‘Well-qualified Indians also need jobs in the educational.’
‘I guess they do; I got in first,’ said Fielding, smiling.
‘Then excuse me again – is it fair an Englishman should occupy one when Indians are available? Of course I mean nothing personally. Personally we are delighted you should be here, and we benefit greatly by this frank talk.’
There is only one answer to a conversation of this type: ‘England holds India for her good.’ Yet Fielding was disinclined to give it. The zeal for honesty had eaten him up. He said: ‘I’m delighted to be here too – that’s my answer, there’s my only excuse. I can’t tell you anything about fairness. It mayn’t have been fair I should have been born. I take up some other fellow’s air, don’t I, whenever I breathe? Still, I’m glad it’s happened, and I’m glad I’m out here. However big a badmash one is – if one’s happy in consequence, that’s some justification.’
The Indians were bewildered. The line of thought was not alien to them, but the words were too definite and bleak. Unless a sentence paid a few compliments to Justice and Morality in passing, its grammar wounded their ears and paralysed their minds. What they said and what they felt were (except in the case of affection) seldom the same. They had numerous mental conventions, and when these were flouted they found it very difficult to function. Hamidullah bore up best. ‘And those Englishmen who are not delighted to be in India – have they no excuse?’ he asked.
‘None. Chuck ’em out.’
‘It may be difficult to separate them from the rest,’ he laughed.
‘Worse than difficult, wrong,’ said Mr Ram Chand. ‘No Indian gentleman approves chucking out as a proper thing. Here we differ from those other nations. We are so spiritual.’
‘Oh that is true, how true!’ said the police inspector.
‘Is it true, Mr Haq? I don’t consider us spiritual. We can’t co-ordinate, we can’t co-ordinate, it only comes to that. We can’t keep engagements, we can’t catch trains. What more than this is the so-called spirituality of India? You and I ought to be at the Committee of Notables, we’re not; our friend Dr Lal ought to be with his patients, he isn’t. So we go on, and so we shall continue to go, I think, until the end of time.’
Chapter 9
‘Is it true, Mr Haq? I don’t consider us spiritual. We can’t co-ordinate, we can’t co-ordinate, it only comes to that. We can’t keep engagements, we can’t catch trains. What more than this is the so-called spirituality of India? You and I ought to be at the Committee of Notables, we’re not; our friend Dr Lal ought to be with his patients, he isn’t. So we go on, and so we shall continue to go, I think, until the end of time.’
Chapter 9
Revise your notes, read the texts, study well. I'm praying for you. :)
- T. Marcus
