Howards End by E.M. Forster brings up the changing times of England by the characterization of Howards End, a house that has been in the Wilcoxs family for generations. Through the characterization of this house, Forster also characterizes ideals and beliefs held during the time period this novel was written. Most prominently, the idea of “culture” is brought up in various ways that allow the reader to see the changes in English society. This idea of culture as a literary device, portraying societal change, is prevalent throughout the novel. Ultimately, the message Forster is trying to send depends on the reader’s perspective. Depending on the analysis, Forster might be attacking this societal change, or reminiscing of times before it happened.
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Leonard Bast, for example, is a man who is considered in a lower class than the Schlegel sisters. Nevertheless, he tries to rise through the ranks by reading well-known books to seem as if he is “cultured” like the Schlegel sisters. Leonard Bast’s problem, however, is that he will never be able to have that culture; he can throw around the names of the authors he has read, but he did not grow as a person by reading those works. For the Wilcoxs, culture was something frivolous, yet still a part of daily life for them. What they saw as normal, such as discussing different philosophies, Leonard Bast saw as “culture”. It was something that was not a normal part of his life. To have that luxury to talk about different ways of seeing the world while drinking tea was just not something that someone in his situation could do. He was not raised into such a way of thinking, and, pushed down by the world, was taught that to waste time on such things would only hinder him. He was uneducated and taught that to further any education would only waste his time and precious little …show more content…
What had caused there to be such a chasm between the rich and poor? And why was there such a social discord between the two? It seems that Forster himself may hold some of these values seen in Howards End. Rose’s The Intellectual Life of the British Working Classes sheds some light on how Forster may have truly viewed the various social classes: “For all his gentle liberalism, Forster embraced the class prejudices of modernist intellectuals… Howards End is fragrant with nostalgia for a rigid social hierarchy” (Rose 402). Perhaps Forster held a view closer to what Margaret Schlegel had of the world? He wanted the old way of things, to keep certain aspects of the world the same. To say that Margaret had only this one way of thinking would be naïve; she is a feminist character who wanted change in a world that she saw as lacking in certain areas. Margaret had an old soul, however, and therefore had some yearnings for the past and for certain things to stay the same. The same can be said of Forster, as both wanting the old and the new continually conflict in the novel. Not only was this a problem in a changing society, it was also very much a problem with Forster coming to terms with the new way of society. Much like Howards End, Forster had to adapt and accept both the old ideals and the new while still staying true to
Leonard Bast, for example, is a man who is considered in a lower class than the Schlegel sisters. Nevertheless, he tries to rise through the ranks by reading well-known books to seem as if he is “cultured” like the Schlegel sisters. Leonard Bast’s problem, however, is that he will never be able to have that culture; he can throw around the names of the authors he has read, but he did not grow as a person by reading those works. For the Wilcoxs, culture was something frivolous, yet still a part of daily life for them. What they saw as normal, such as discussing different philosophies, Leonard Bast saw as “culture”. It was something that was not a normal part of his life. To have that luxury to talk about different ways of seeing the world while drinking tea was just not something that someone in his situation could do. He was not raised into such a way of thinking, and, pushed down by the world, was taught that to waste time on such things would only hinder him. He was uneducated and taught that to further any education would only waste his time and precious little …show more content…
What had caused there to be such a chasm between the rich and poor? And why was there such a social discord between the two? It seems that Forster himself may hold some of these values seen in Howards End. Rose’s The Intellectual Life of the British Working Classes sheds some light on how Forster may have truly viewed the various social classes: “For all his gentle liberalism, Forster embraced the class prejudices of modernist intellectuals… Howards End is fragrant with nostalgia for a rigid social hierarchy” (Rose 402). Perhaps Forster held a view closer to what Margaret Schlegel had of the world? He wanted the old way of things, to keep certain aspects of the world the same. To say that Margaret had only this one way of thinking would be naïve; she is a feminist character who wanted change in a world that she saw as lacking in certain areas. Margaret had an old soul, however, and therefore had some yearnings for the past and for certain things to stay the same. The same can be said of Forster, as both wanting the old and the new continually conflict in the novel. Not only was this a problem in a changing society, it was also very much a problem with Forster coming to terms with the new way of society. Much like Howards End, Forster had to adapt and accept both the old ideals and the new while still staying true to