# Chapter XXI explained — A Passage to India

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

## What happens

Fielding, having broken with the club, rides through the bazaar during Mohurram preparations and spends the evening with the Nawab Bahadur, Hamidullah, and Mahmoud Ali discussing the campaign for Aziz's defense. A telegram is sent to Amritrao, and bail is to be renewed. Fielding regrets his rudeness to Heaslop but finds Godbole has already left.

## Themes in this chapter

### Friendship Across Cultures

Fielding aligns with his Indian allies, breaking from the British club, and participates in the defense campaign.

### Misunderstanding and Communication

Fielding regrets his rudeness to Heaslop, reflecting on tactical and moral errors in cross-cultural interactions.

## Character check-ins

### Cyril Fielding

Rides through the bazaar, joins the confederacy, and regrets his rudeness to Heaslop.

### Nawab Bahadur

Hosts the evening conference and vetoes dismissing the musicians for good luck.

### Hamidullah

Present at the conference with the Nawab Bahadur and others.

### Mahmoud Ali

Part of the confederacy meeting at the Nawab Bahadur's.

### Professor Godbole

Has already gone to bed and slips off to his new job.

### Amritrao

Telegram sent to him; his acceptance received for the defense.

## Key lines

> He was glad that he had broken with the club, for he would have picked up scraps of gossip there, and reported them down in the city, and he was glad to be denied this opportunity.

Fielding felt relieved to have left the club, as it prevented him from gathering and spreading rumors in the city.

_Fielding's relief at severing ties with the British club to avoid gossip._

> Distracted by the noise, he suggested their dismissal, but the Nawab Bahadur vetoed it; he said that musicians, who had walked many miles, might bring good luck.

Fielding wanted to send away the noisy musicians, but the Nawab Bahadur insisted they stay because they might bring good fortune after their long journey.

_Cultural difference in attitudes toward the musicians._

## Links

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