Author(s)

Chen Haiqi ¹

Affiliation(s)

¹ Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, China

Corresponding Author

Chen Haiqi

ABSTRACT

This thesis explores the intricate relationship among class, culture, and social identity in E. M. Forster's Howards End, with a particular focus on the character of Leonard Bast. Through an in-depth analysis of the direct and indirect reasons for Bast's death, the thesis sheds light on the complex interplay between individual aspirations and social constraints, highlighting Bast's struggle to transcend his lower-middle-class status through cultural enrichment. In addition to analysing how other characters impact Bast's fate, the thesis also looks at Forster's broader thematic concerns about connection. It argues that Bast's death is not merely a personal tragedy but a symbol of the wider social failures to bridge the gaps between classes. By analysing the aftermath of Bast’s death and its impact on the novel's characters and their relationships, the thesis suggests that his death ultimately contributes to a tentative hope for a more connected and inclusive society.

KEYWORDS

Howards End, E. M. Forster, Leonard Bast, death, metaphor

CITE THIS PAPER

Chen Haiqi, An Interpretation of Bast's Death in Howards End. Lecture Notes on Language and Literature (2024) Vol. 7: 137-144. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.23977/langl.2024.070122.

REFERENCES

[1] Trilling, L. (1943) E. M. Forster. New York: New Directions.
[2] Garant, J.D. (1969) "Who Shall Inherit England?" A Comparison between Howards End, Parade's End and Unconditional Surrender. English Studies, 50(1-6), 101-105.
[3] Xu Ya. (2012) Irony or Double Irony: Forster's Reflection on the Universal Cultural Conception of Liberal Humanism in Howards End. Foreign Literatures, 32(03), 110-118.
[4] Hao Fuqiang and Liu Yang. (2020) A Cultural Symbol of Upper-class in Capitalist Societies—Bast's Night Walking in Howards End. Journal of North University of China (Social Science Edition), 36(04), 76-81.
[5] Forster, E.M. (2007) Howards End. The Pennsylvania State University.
[6] Hopwood, M. (2016) Only Connect: Moral Judgment, Embodiment, and Hypocrisy in Howards End. Philosophy and Literature, 40(2), 399-414.

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