# Chapter XXXII explained — A Passage to India

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

## What happens

Fielding travels through Egypt, Crete, and Venice, reflecting on the beauty and harmony of European civilization compared to the muddle of India, and feeling a sense of disloyalty as he appreciates the form and order of the Mediterranean world.

## Themes in this chapter

### Colonialism and Imperialism

Fielding's internal conflict between his appreciation for European order and his ties to India highlights the cultural divide inherent in colonial experience.

### Identity and Belonging

Fielding's sense of disloyalty and his romantic fancies upon seeing European landscapes underscore his struggle with where he truly belongs.

## Character check-ins

### Cyril Fielding

Travels through Egypt, Crete, and Venice, experiencing a deep appreciation for European form and harmony, and feeling disloyal to India.

## Key lines

> The buildings of Venice, like the mountains of Crete and the fields of Egypt, stood in the right place, whereas in poor India everything was placed wrong.

Fielding feels that European landscapes and architecture are perfectly arranged, while India seems chaotic and disordered.

_Highlights Fielding's perception of European order versus Indian muddle._

> The Mediterranean is the human norm. When men leave that exquisite lake, whether through the Bosphorus or the Pillars of Hercules, they approach the monstrous and extraordinary; and the southern exit leads to the strangest experience of all.

Fielding believes the Mediterranean represents the standard of human civilization, and departing from it leads to strange and monstrous experiences, especially towards the south (India).

_Reflects Eurocentric views and the exoticization of non-European lands._

## Links

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