A Passage to India is a novel that reflects Forster's belief in humanism. Humanism is a philosophy that seeks to dignify man. It calls for compassion, equality, universal brotherhood and individualism, which helps civilize man to make him realize his potential power and gift. He says "I believe in teaching people to be individuals, and to understand other individuals."
Forster's novel tackles the idea of the barriers that separate man from man, class from class and race from race. A Passage to India pictures as no other the clash of two cutlers; the conflict between the Indians and the British. At that time, Britain was occupying India. Although he was a British, he did not side with them. He was attaching the British imperialism. He asserts human rights and ridicules racial prejudice.
This novel explores the difficulties men face in trying to understand each other and the universe. Forster says, "The world is a globe of men who are trying to reach one another and can best do so, by the hope of goodwill plus culture and intelligence."
Forster shows in the novel how man's attempts to create unity are continually, dominated and diminished by forces man cannot control.
According to Forster, the solution to human misunderstanding lies in man's capacity to transcend human difference by developing the heart and imagination. He says "God has put us on the earth in order to be pleasant to each other. God is love. God has put us on earth to love our neighbours and to show it."
He adds "It's very easy to sympathies at a distance, I value more the kind word that is spoken close to my ear."
