# XIX explained — A Passage to India

> Chapter companion for A Passage to India by E. M. Forster.

## What happens

Fielding visits Aziz in prison but finds him unapproachable. He then meets Hamidullah, who is anxious about the legal proceedings and suggests hiring the anti-British barrister Amritrao. Fielding reluctantly agrees, though he hopes to avoid racial hatred. Later, Fielding has a frustrating conversation with Professor Godbole, who seems more concerned with naming a new school than with Aziz's predicament.

## Themes in this chapter

### Friendship Across Cultures

Fielding's decision to side with Aziz against his own countrymen strains his relationships and highlights the difficulty of cross-cultural solidarity.

### Justice and Injustice

The chapter explores the tension between legal evidence and personal belief, as Hamidullah and Fielding debate the best strategy to secure justice for Aziz.

### Misunderstanding and Communication

Fielding's conversation with Godbole exemplifies a profound failure of communication, as Godbole focuses on trivialities while Fielding is consumed by Aziz's crisis.

## Character check-ins

### Cyril Fielding

Visits Aziz in prison, confers with Hamidullah about legal strategy, and endures a frustrating conversation with Godbole about school names.

### Dr. Aziz

In prison, unapproachable through misery, accuses Fielding of desertion.

### Hamidullah

Anxious about the legal case, proposes hiring Amritrao, and shows deference to Fielding while being rattled by the situation.

### Professor Godbole

Engages Fielding in a trivial discussion about naming a school, seemingly indifferent to Aziz's crisis.

## Key lines

> You deserted me

Aziz accuses Fielding of abandoning him in his time of need.

_Aziz's only coherent remark to Fielding during the prison visit._

> At a crisis, the English are really unequalled.

Hamidullah praises the English for their composure during emergencies.

_Said with complete sincerity after Fielding comforts him._

> To slink through India unlabelled was his aim.

Fielding wished to remain neutral and not be categorized as pro- or anti-British.

_Fielding regrets taking sides, foreseeing he will be called 'anti-British' or 'seditious.'_

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/a_passage_to_india_se/chapters/xix
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/a_passage_to_india_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/a_passage_to_india_se/chapters