Howards End by EM Forester illustrates the social interaction between economic classes present in 19th century England. Forester's novel focuses specifically on the English middle class at several different levels: the upper middle class, which is itself classified into two groups, those of the new money and those of the old money, and the middle class lower. Forester embodies each of these social factions through one of the three major families in the novel, the Schlegals, the Wilcoxes and the Basts. Throughout the novel, Forester shows that every family, despite their profession and monetary value, deserves a stake in the future of England, which is metaphorically represented by the Wilcoxes' country home, Howards End. Forester, through characterization, relationships and social connections, uses these three families to convey his own views on the path that 19th century English society should follow en route to economic and social prosperity and on which social group will inherit ultimately from England. Say no to plagiarism. . Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay Margaret and Helen Schlegal represent old English traditions and money. Given their annual inheritance of six hundred pounds, there is no need for either sister to work. This lack of employment allows the sisters time to indulge in practices of idealism and intellectualism, mainly in the fields of art and literature. This preoccupation with the arts develops another goal for the Schlegal sisters, the importance of maintaining connections in all aspects of life. "Just connect! That was his whole sermon. Just connect prose and passion, and both will be exalted, and human love will be seen at its highest level. No longer live in fragments. Just connect , and the beast and the monk, stolen for the isolation that is the life of either, will die” (Forester 159). The two sisters bustle about, maintaining social connections with others, connections with the arts, and spiritual connections with the world in which they are immersed. It is this idea of ​​connection that binds Margaret Schlegal to Ruth. Wilcox and her family Although Mrs. Wilcox shares the same spirituality and sense of tradition as the Schlegals, she is the dark horse of the enterprising and materialistic Wilcox family. The Wilcox family represents the opposite side of the middle class. English higher education, the catalysts of the English industrial revolution. “The Schlegals represent human liberal culture, the beautiful civilization of cultivated personal relationships, while the Wilcoxes built the [British] Empire; they represent the short-haired type of executives – obtuse, selfish, unscrupulous, spiritually cowardly, self-deceptive, and successful” (Levenson 309). Unlike the Schlegals, the Wilcoxes cannot inherit an annual income and therefore must work to earn their wealth. This need for employment did not give the Wilcoxes time to focus on the importance of art and literature, causing them to lose sight of English ideals and traditions. Instead, the emphasis on work and money causes a fixation around the ideals of materialism and accumulation to develop. Unlike the Schlegals, the Wilcoxes don't care about social or spiritual connections. Instead, Wilcox’s motto is “Focused” (Forester 160). Although slightly vague, this concentration arguably focuses on the areas of business, profitand material accumulation. This clash of traditional and industrial ideals causes a divide in English society. In terms of the novel, Forester personifies this social conflict by juxtaposing the Schlegals and the Wilcoxes. He uses their interactions and developments to present his personal views on the fate of English society. In an attempt to recreate a more realistic social society within this circle, Forester also includes Leonard Bast and his lover, Jacky, to represent the lowest sector of the English middle class. Unlike the Wilcoxes, the Basts do not reap the same monetary benefits as a capitalist England. Despite his efforts, Leonard finds himself stuck in a dead-end, poorly paid job, far from the Wilcox colonial conquests. He and his lover do not live the lavish lives of the Schlegals or the Wilcoxes and instead endure a rather meager existence. Forester's inclusion of the Basts is important for several reasons. First, despite his efforts to improve himself, Leonard does not have the means to advance in his place in society. Through Bast, Forester demonstrates and critiques the rigidity of the British hierarchical scale. However, by the end of the novel, Leonard is somewhat assimilated into the upper class through his relationship with Helen Schlegal. While her deliberate efforts to gain social ground are in vain, Helen offers the Basts and the rest of the lower class a chance for social gain by lending a part of herself to Leonard through their relationship. Forester opens the door to opportunities for the lower classes when he creates a scenario where Helen and Leonard's illegitimate child would potentially inherit Howards End or, metaphorically, England. Each of these three families represents different dimensions of British society. Using his novel, Forester unites these wide-ranging social classes and begins to demolish the structure of the English caste system. Through a multitude of relationships and connections, each family and its members blend together to create a less rigid social system, allowing for more mobility. The key to Forester's social project is that no social group rules over another, but that each sector becomes interdependent on the others. Through this integration, Forester believes a more productive and prosperous England will develop. One of the most important relationships at Howards End involves Margaret Schlegal and Ruth Wilcox. This friendship sets the initial framework for the entire novel. Unlike her family, Mrs. Wilcox embodies the ideals of the old English aristocracy. Rather than going into business or enterprise, she places great value on family and family traditions. “Being separated from your home, from your father’s house, that should not be allowed. It’s worse than dying” (Forester 71). Upon meeting Margaret Schlegal, Ms. Wilcox was immediately drawn to her similar sense of tradition. Mrs. Wilcox sees this connection so strongly that she changes her will and leaves Howards End to Margaret, rather than to her own family. True to the symbolism of the novel, Mrs. Wilcox demonstrates her desire to keep England (Howards End) immersed in old England and its traditions. However, upon closer examination, the presence of contradictions within this potential legacy demonstrates Forester's skepticism about the ability of traditional England to prevail. Despite Mrs Wilcox's love of England and tradition, she inadvertently leaves Howards End to a successor of mixed heritage. Margaret, although embodying the values ​​of England, is not a complete product of them. Although she is described by her aunt as "English through and through" (Forester 7), Margaret and her siblings are actually of English and German descent. In his attemptto adhere to tradition, Mrs. Wilcox unwittingly left her beloved home to a stranger. Another source of hypocrisy comes from the idea of ​​family lineage. The old English tradition is that valuable family possessions are kept within the confines of the family and passed on to subsequent generations. In her attempt to preserve the Old English tradition, Mrs. Wilcox breaks it by leaving her house to someone outside her family. This situation foreshadows the imminent fall of Old England later in the novel. Following a short but important friendship with Margaret, Mrs. Wilcox dies quite early in the novel. Forester writes: "Ah, the old species was disappearing" (Forester 75).His death marks the final fall of the aristocratic class. This disappearance paves the way for Mr. Wilcox and the English industrial class to take power. Even if this rise to power is neither instantaneous nor lasting, their momentary hold is no less firm. After Mrs. Wilcox's death, Mr. Wilcox and his immediate family come together to execute her will. The family is shocked to discover that Margaret Schlegal is set to inherit Howards End. However, this scene symbolizes the transition of power from old England to industrial England. Despite Mrs. Wilcox's wish to pass Howards End to Margaret and continue England's traditional rule, Mr. Wilcox intervenes and redirects power to the business class by deciding to keep Howards End in the family. This highlights the rapid acquisition of power by industrial England. In a very short time, Mr. Wilcox takes possession of Howards End from his wife, or symbolically, industry and business have become the controllers of England and old England ceases to exist. Mrs. Wilcox's death also sparks another vital relationship in the novel between Mr. Wilcox and Margaret. This union is remarkable because it is Forester who begins to unite the worlds of intellectualism and materialism. Initially, Margaret allows Mr. Wilcox to feel that he has the upper hand. "A younger woman might have been displeased with his masterful ways, but Margaret had too firm a grip on life to make a fuss. She was, in her way, just as masterful. If he was a fortress, she was a mountain peak” (Forester 156). Despite Mr. Wilcox's perceived superiority, Margaret remains confident in his equality, despite what she makes him believe. Regardless of her confidence, Margaret realizes that her future financial well-being depends on Mr. Wilcox and the business class. “Despite her reluctance, Margaret eventually realizes that the Wilcoxes and the business community constitute the financial island on which the intellectual stands” (Thomson 124). This reinforces Forester's idea of ​​class interdependence. Although Margaret wishes to retain her intellectual roots and preserve the traditions of England, she is aware that without going into industry the old money class will come to an end when their annual inheritances are exhausted. This failure of assimilation will undoubtedly lead to absolute power for the commercial class and the loss of English tradition forever. In order to preserve the past to some extent, Margaret realizes that the financial support provided by Mr. Wilcox is necessary to keep her and her peers afloat. Through this relationship, Forester establishes an equal level of importance between new money and old money. The interdependence of the two will ultimately lead to England's economic and social prosperity in the future. Arguably, unifying the two aforementioned groups is relatively simple. However, Forester includes the Bast to represent the lowest sector of the class.