A Passage to India

A Passage to India  (1924) is a novel by English author  E. M. Forster  set against the backdrop of the  British Raj  and the  Indian independence movement  in the 1920s. It was selected as one of the 100 great works of 20th century English literature by the  Modern Library and won the 1924  James Tait Black Memorial Prize  for fiction. The novel is based on Forster's experiences in India. The story revolves around four characters: Dr. Aziz, his British friend Mr. Cyril Fielding, Mrs. Moore, and Miss Adela Quested. During a trip to the Marabar Caves,  Adela thinks she finds herself alone with Dr. Aziz in one of the caves (when in fact he is in an entirely different cave), and subsequently panics and flees; it is assumed that Dr. Aziz has attempted to assault her. Aziz's trial, and its run-up and aftermath, bring to a boil the common racial tensions and prejudices between Indians and the British who rule India.