I really wanted to love this book. But I didn’t…
Howards End, the focal point of the novel, refers to a small country house just north of London. Forster modelled Howards End on his beloved childhood home, Rooksnest. According to Penguin Random House, Rooksnest came to represent English country values—a connection to place, a respect for individuality, and a commitment to the contemplative life.
Circling in and around this country house, we have three families: the Schlegel siblings, the Wilcox family and the Bask couple. The Schlegel sisters live a comfortable life filled with art and music. Whilst a strong bond connects them, the two sisters are of a quite different disposition. The younger Helen is idealistic, impulsive and sensitive, whereas the older Margaret is pragmatic and sensible. They do bear some resemblance to the two central sisters in Jane Austens Sense and Sensibility and incidentally the older sister in both novels has been played by Emma Thompson.
Whilst the Schlegel sisters represent progressive thinking, social justice and intellectual conversation, the Wilcox family stands for capitalism and industrialisation.
The contrast between the Schlegels and the Wilcox family mirrors the conundrum England was facing at the time. With industrialisation progressing rapidly, old values clashing with new values and the country about to change, what was the right way forward for England?
Only connect, Margaret says. And that has become the mantra of the novel. Connect with people, connect with ideas. It isn’t a matter of either-or. We can connect with values and life perspectives different from our own and learn from each other instead of rejecting opposing opinions.
I quite liked Margaret and her pragmatic approach. It reminded me of another book, I am currently reading, Plato’s The Republic. Would we want to live in a republic ruled by philosophers, Socrates muses. My answer would probably be no. As much as I appreciate philosophy, I am a pragmatic like Margaret. We can (and should) have big ideas, but we also need to live in the real world and be realistic. Helen’s idealistic attempt to help the less privileged Bask family people certainly doesn’t turn out very successfully.
Whereas the central idea and message of the novel appealed to me, I didn’t enjoy the actual execution. Most importantly, I didn’t connect with the characters. And unfortunately, the plot wasn’t strong enough to make up for this shortcoming.
Overall, I thought the portrayal of the two sisters was well done and Margaret in particular stood out as an unusual and complex character. But the romantic choices of both sisters felt completely out of character and made the story less impactful. With a stretch of the imagination, I could just about understand Margaret, whereas Helen’s actions were unfathomable to me. Vivian Gornick writes in The New York Times about how the 31-year old Forster’s life as a closeted homosexual without much experience in sex and romance may explain why the relationships in the novel don’t ring true. It’s an interesting article, but be aware it includes spoilers.
Finally, the conclusion of the novel failed to convince me. Via Margaret, Forster demonstrates the only connect mantra. However, he needs a deus ex machina to help out and even with that plot device, I didn’t quite believe in the ending.
Compared to A Room with a View, Howards End feels more mature and tackles more substantial issues. The social commentary is pronounced in both novels, but the introduction of the Bask family in Howards End adds another dimension to the debate. The abundant symbolism used in A Room with a View is still present in Howards End, but it comes across as more measured and better integrated in the latter.
On balance, I preferred Howards End to A Room with a View, but after two novels by E.M Forster, I am starting to think his writing is not for me. Having loved the film adaptations of his novels, this has left me puzzled. Ah well…
Title: Howards End [1910] Author: E. M. Forster Format: Audiobook, narrated by Edward Petherbridge Genre: Classics
Howards End is number 17 on BBC’s list of Best British Books.
Gosh, I may even have been still in my teens when I read both those works by EM Forster. Your review tells me I have plenty to re-appraise. I’ve bookmarked the Gornick article to read later too – thanks. Now to keep my promise to myself and actually re-read these books!
There was certainly lots of food for thought in Howards End. I always find it tricky to review books like that. On one hand, I really enjoyed the intellectual stimulation and I have kept thinking about it after finishing reading. On the other hand, I didn’t particularly love the experience of reading the story. I had very similar reaction to McEwan’s Atonement.
I remember feeling like that too. All the same, time for a re-read.
Good luck, hope you enjoy your reread. 🙂
Yes, like margaret21 I read both of these years and years ago! I want to go back to them now I’ve read your review because I cannot really remember anything about them!
Haha, I am glad, but slightly puzzled, that my lukewarm review has made people want to read the book! 😊
Same here, I was really underwhelmed by this one
Glad I am not the only one. I have the impression (almost) everyone loves this book!
I agree! I didn’t connect with the characters and or the story, even though I also really, really wanted to.
It was such a shame. I found lots to admire in the novel, but I can’t say, I enjoyed it.
Agreed. I find E.M. Forster to be a writer I admire rather than enjoy. I’ve liked A Room With A View best, but of the others I’ve read they were more of a sufferance.
I doubt, I’ll give this author another try. It may be best to acknowledge, his books and I don’t get along.
It’s impossible for me to read the book after watching the film so kudos to you for doing so. Sorry it fell short but your review is outstanding, Diana💜
Oh really, I guess it’s because you tend to get bored if you already know the story? I actually quite like to read the book after having watched the adaptation. You may get more background and details when reading the book and I tend to love the book more than the film. E.M. Forster seems to be the exception that proves the rule 😉
Read this book for a literature class in college many years ago. I don’t remember it very well, but it seemed dreary. Forester isn’t one of my favorite writers, either. I didn’t know at the time that he was a closeted gay. How sad. It explains a lot, though.
Haha, unfortunately I agree, rather dreary, but with some interesting parts. Yes, that aspect of his life was sad, but according to the article it was also what drove his creative outlet.
Just because you love the film versions doesn’t mean you’re going to love the books. Happens all the time. Forester is sometimes heavy going and a bit… vague.
Well, apparently not. I do tend to love the book more than the adaptation. Probably, that is why I was so surprised. Anyway, I may not read more by Forster, at least not in the immediate future.
Great review.
Thanks!
While you weren’t impressed by the end of it, I’m glad you were still able to enjoy some of it. I only just recently heard about the movie and about Hopkins being in it. I also have A Room With a View (the movie) on my watchlist upon the recommendation of a couple of people. I hope the next one you pick up turns out to be a better literary and cinematic experience for you!
Normally, I prefer to read the book over watching the adaptation, but I’d say – based on A Room with a View and Howards End, that Forster is the exception. I think the films are more enjoyable than the novels.
Yeah maybe Forster isn’t for you — but maybe try one last one: Passage to India? It’s been a long time since I saw the movies of A Room with a View and Howards End … 1990s right? But I remember liking both. It would be fun to re-watch them. I saw the Passage to India movie in the late 1980s I think. Also good, with Judy Davis. yay. Thx for this review.
For now, no more Forster I think. But I can’t rule out picking up A Passage to India in a weak moment in the future. Or perhaps Maurice? Yes, the film adaptations I watched were quite old, probably 90s. A rare case of enjoying the films more than the books.
It’s not an easy novel to like because – for me anyway – those Schlegel siblings are so irritating. At the beginning they can’t seem to shut up.
Haha, yes I guess they can be rather irritating, but I really became fond of Margaret as the story unfolded.