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A Passage to India Chapter 24
Adela starts praying again, something she had not done for years due to her intellectualism.
The echo returns in Adela's head. In the courthouse, Adela looks around and begins to wonder, "by what right did they claim so much importance in the world and assume the title of civilization?" Chapter 24, pg. 242
McBryde makes the opening remarks, describing what led to the picnic at Marabar. He talks about Oriental pathology and tries to explain that darker races are by nature attracted to fairer races, but not vice versa.
Topic Tracking: Earth 7
Topic Tracking: Nationalism 3
Looking around the courtroom, Adela sees the people whom she met who were supposed to show her the real India: Fielding, Aziz, etc. She begins once again to doubt the guilt of Aziz. McBryde continues his defense and tells the court that Aziz is a cruel man who treated his guests in a cruel manner. He accuses Aziz of stuffing Mrs. Moore into a cave. Mahmoud Ali, a co-defender in the trial, becomes enraged and says that if she had been present, Mrs. Moore could have clinched the case for the defense right away, because she would have defended the Indians. He accuses the English officials of smuggling Mrs. Moore out of the country, preventing her from siding with the defense. Ali's arguments are tinged with nationalistic undertones. He is fearless of being condemned by the British Raj.
Mahmoud Ali furiously leaves the courthouse and the case behind. His outburst fuels the Indians in the courthouse. They begin chanting an Indianized version of Ronny's mother's name, "Esmiss Esmoor." "It was revolting to him [Ronny] to hear his mother travestied into Esmiss Esmoor, a Hindu goddess." Chapter 24, pg. 250
His mother has become deified and spiritualized by the Indian crowd.
Adela is put in the witness box and she is asked to recount her side of the story. When McBryde reaches the section of her being followed to the cave by Aziz, Adela hesitates. She asks for a moment to think. She then replies that she can not really be sure. Pressed further, Adela announces that she has made a mistake and that Dr. Aziz never followed her into the cave. Major Callendar tries to stop the proceedings on medical grounds. Mr. Das, the judge in the case, asks the English officials if they would like to withdraw the case. Reluctantly and angrily, they do. Mr. Das, an Indian, has successfully controlled and presided over the case, and the Indians in the courthouse rise excitedly.
