Cecil, a `more than presentable' figure within society, is `good', `clever' and `rich'. With `good' connections and "beautiful manners", Mrs Honeychurch greatly approved of his accepted proposal to marry Lucy. Yet Freddy was uncertain, his dislike towards Cecil unexplainably grew, was it because `Cecil made one talk in his way, instead of letting one talk in one's own way.'? Forster creates Cecil with an aroma of superiority throughout the novel, combined with his intellectual modesty and the recurring thoughts of George Emerson, Lucy therefore felt the need to discontinue their engagement.

Although Cecil is a character who liked to present himself very much as an intellectual, Forster describes him `Like a Gothic statue'. He is completely enveloped in his `self-consciousness', persistently comparing `his' society to others. `A Gothic statue implies celibacy', Cecil is completely inexperienced when it comes to relationships, all his knowledge and understanding has been...