Edward Morgan Forster was an English fiction writer, essayist, and social and literary critic. His novels mainly include Howards End and A Passage to India. The latter brought him fame and success. He was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature.
Forster was born at 6 Melcombe Place, Dorset Square, London NW1, a building that no longer exists. Due to his father's death in 1883, he and his mother moved to Rooks Nest, near Stevenage, Hertfordshire, till 1893.
Among some of his ancestors, some of them were the Clapham Sect members, a social group within the Church of England. He did inherit a certain amount that was enough money to live, and it helped him become a writer. Even though he did attend a day boy Tonbridge School in Kent, a school theatre has been named under his name.
At King's College, Cambridge, he did become a member of a discussion society named Apostles. They met in secret and would often discuss their work on philosophical and moral questions. He travelled to Greece and Italy in 1993 as he was interested in Culture Heritage and then sought a post in Germany to learn the language.
Forster spent a lot of his time in India, and around 1920, he worked as a private secretary to Tukojirao III, Maharajah of Dewas. After returning to London from India, he completed the last novel to be published, A Passage to India, for which he wonn the James Tait Black Memorial Prize for fiction.
He was awarded a Benson Medal in 1937. He became a noble broadcaster on BBC Radio and also became associated with the British Humanist Association. Other than broadcasting, he advocated individual liberty and penal form, started censorship on writing articles, and even started sitting on a committee and began signing letters.
He was elected as an honorary fellow of King's College Cambridge in January 1946. He arrived in America to begin a three-month nationwide tour of public readings and sightseeing. He wrote the novel Little Amber, a science fiction tale. At the age of 85, he went on a pilgrimage to Wiltshire countryside that had inspired his favorite novel, The Longest Journey.
Forster died of a stroke on 7 June 1970 at Buckingham's home in Coventry Warwickshire. His ashes were scattered in the rose garden of Coventry's crematorium near Warwick University.
Following are some of the famous E.M. Forster Quotes, which are truly inspiring.
Unless we remember we cannot understand.
To remember is to bring one's mind an awareness of something or someone from the past. It is to think again of all those old days which are surely a memory to you.
Forster says that until we recall something, we cannot realize a thing. It means that it is necessary to be sure of things else, we can never acknowledge anything in life. To understand a thing is very necessary or else you cannot start working.
There will not be people around us to explain things. So we need to make it a point to keep things in mind when someone decodes something to us. When we start to realize what the thing is, we can start to make out how things are.
Thus, we must always make a habit to keep remembering things, or else life can get complicated at times.
One must be fond of people and trust them if one is not to make a mess of life.
Trust is a feeling that someone or something can be relied upon. It is also the feeling of being sure about a thing even when it cannot be proved.
This quote says that we must adore certain people and start trusting them; otherwise, our lives will become a complete dilemma. It means that we always need certain people in our life for which we can care about. As when we start caring about others, we start to be responsible and matured as a person.
When we like a person, we start to care about that person and develop trust. But if the trust gets broken, then the life of that person turns upside down. Life becomes complicated, and everything becomes a mess. People get hurt, hearts get broken, and there will be pain everywhere.
Thus, at least have a person on whom you place your life.
Love is always being given where it is not required.
Love is one of the intense emotions that we humans experience once in a lifetime. It can also be defined as one of those intense feelings of affection with no limits or conditions for a person.
It is said that love is something that hits you unexpectedly. It is a thing that can change you as a person. It is a feeling which cannot be explained nor controlled by anyone.
Forster says that love always comes to us when we do not need it. Life presents you with love when you are not prepared for it. It comes to you when you have no time and when your feelings are misplaced. It is a surprise that will be unraveled when the right time comes.
Therefore, experience it when love comes to you as it is a lifetime opportunity.
What is wonderful about great literature is that it transforms the man who reads it towards the condition of the man who wrote.
Literature is a written work, especially those considered to be of superior or artistic merits. It is a group of work of arts which is made up of words. It usually means poetry or proses which are well written.
This quote says that literature is so outstanding that it modifies the man who reads it. The transformation is so surreal that the man who reads it changes towards the condition of the man who wrote it.
When you read poetry or prose, the emotions you feel were felt by the writer then. Literature has the power to change the emotion of the person reading it. It makes the reader so involved that he forgets his feelings.
Therefore, keep on reading pieces like that; that can surely influence your thoughts.
Life never gives us what we want at the moment that we consider appropriate.
Life is a journey that has its ups and downs. It is a question that cannot be answered in one word or a single sentence. It is what you do, what you like, your love, and all your dislikes.
Forster says that life never gives us anything we want at the moment we need it. Every person has their values and principles that they follow in their life. The moment that you consider right will not be the right time for life to take place.
Life is unpredictable as it does not give you the things that you want. There may be times when you may be on the edge of achieving a thing; then, you will suddenly be toppled down. And then life happens.
Remember that there will never be a perfect moment, so do things when you can do it.
We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us.
Life is like a rollercoaster ride that has its ups and downs. It is not easy to be conscious even though we choose, especially when the coaster's downward track causes us to feel discomfort.
This quote says that we must be glad to let go of the life we have planned for us as life is not something that will work according to our plans. It is something that has its own rules, and no one can interfere with it.
We must always be ready to embrace the changes life brings about. At any given time, we should be prepared to accept the change as only then we can have the life that is waiting for us.
Therefore, let of the life you have planned when the right time comes as you never know the surprises it has designed for you.
Continue reading some of the best E.M. Forster Quotes..
It is so difficult - at least, I find it difficult - to understand people who speak the truth.
Truth is the fact or belief that is accepted as true. It is something that cannot be changed no matter what you do in life. It is a fact that is true no matter what the circumstances are.
Forster says that he finds it so difficult to find people who speak the truth. Truth is absolute, which means that it is found everywhere. In today's time, it is a tough task to recognize people who speak the truth.
As truth is something that can be easily manipulated, and you never know what the fact is. And it is so difficult to understand people as it seems that something is wrong with everyone out other. So, even though the truth is such a simple thing, it often gets complicated.
You confuse what's important with what's impressive.
To be impressive is to create a marked impression on others. It can also be termed as having the power to excite attention.
This quote says that people often confuse important and impressive. To impress someone is to do something the other person likes. We believe that it is necessary to keep on impressing others, so we feel that it is important.
Important things are those which need to be done in an emergency. If you keep ignoring them, your life will turn miserable. And honestly, you cannot impress everyone as each of them has their own opinions about life. Also, there is no need to create an impression on others all the time.
So, rather than being trying to please everyone, do what you feel is right.
Adventures do occur, but not punctually.
The word adventure itself seems to be exciting. It is something where you can expect a lot of twists and turns. It involves challenging ourselves or trying something new in our life.
Forster says that in everyone's life, there will be an escapade that will take place. But this episode will only occur once in a while. It is something which is not punctual enough, but when it takes place, it surely makes your life a rollercoaster ride.
When adventures occur in life, you just need to have that courage to experience freedom and have ownership of your life. To undertake all the risks and dangers that life provides is what adventure is all about. In this ordinary life, there will surely be an adventure which will surprise you.
Therefore, enjoy the adventure as it is a chance to do what you truly want.
It's not what people do to you, but what they mean, that hurts.
Human beings are the most difficult creatures in the world. They are selfish creatures who can do anything to achieve their targets. And in that process, they will break many hearts.
In this quote, Forster says that it does not hurt when people behave in a bad way as everyone is a different person and has a different attitude towards life. So, nobody can be blamed. Blaming people often leads to making a smaller issue into a bigger one.
It breaks you when you truly understand what they mean. These situations mainly occur with the people we care about. And that is what breaks us and causes pain.
So, think twice before you speak as at times you spit words which you don't mean.
Few more E.M. Forster Quotes...
When I think of what life is, and how seldom love is answered by love; it is one of the moments for which the world was made.
Life is a ride where things happen when you least expect them. It is a journey that takes you by surprise. An expedition full of twists and turns, and no matter how hard you prepare for it, it still gives you a shock.
Forster says that when he often thinks about what life is all about. And in this life, it is too rare for love to be acknowledged by love itself. Life is an amalgamation of all different emotions fused. The more you want something in life, the more hurdles will come in front of you.
Love is something that is not received by every one of us. Love is rarely reciprocated by love, and when that happens, it can be said as one of these moments for which the world was made. As love is something pure, and when such a thing meets with a good end, it surely is one of those moments which need to be captured.
I cannot help thinking that there is something to admire in everyone, even if you do not approve of them.
Every human being is an expert when it comes to finding faults in others as it is an easy task to judge others without being judged.
In this quote, Forster says that he cannot help thinking that there is something that needs to be complimented in every person. There is always a thing or other in a person, even if you disapprove of them.
People are always quick to judge others even when they do not know the person. Also, even if you know the qualities of the person, you will not accept them. So, always try to find good in others even though you dislike that person.
I believe in teaching people to be individuals and to understand other individuals.
An individual is a person who has the ability for you or your mind to think individually. It is a single person who is considered separately from the other things or people in a group.
Forster says that he believes in making people understand how to be an individual and make people understand the other individual. It simply means that he believes that we should make people learn to be an individual.
To be an individual, one needs to be aware of one needs, goals, rights, and even responsibilities. To realize our goals and responsibilities, we must have that understanding with ourselves. Also, when you learn to be an individual, try to accept the other as they are. Do not try to change them as it makes them lose their identity as an individual.
Therefore, be an individual who acknowledges the other one.
Long books, when read, are usually overpraised because the reader wishes to convince others and himself that he has not wasted his time.
A book is a written or printed work that consists of pages glued or sewn together and are bound by a cover. It is a medium for recording information in the form of writing or images, which is typically composed of many pages.
This quote says that when you read a long book, you exaggerate the quality of the book. Even though you do not understand a thing, you still praise it for convincing others and yourself as the reader wants to convey the message that the book is more interesting than it seems.
The reader tries to create hype even without knowing. By praising the book, you try to convince others to give it at least a chance. By doing so, you make them believe that reading the book was not a waste of time and everyone should go through it.
Thus, long books are something which you over sale even without you knowing it.
There's enough sorrow in the world, isn't there, without trying to invent it.
Sorrow is a feeling of deep distress which is caused by disappointment, loss, or other adversity suffered by us or others. It is generally a mood that displays a feeling of disadvantage or loss.
Forster says that in this world, there is more than enough amount of sorrow. So do not even try to create new ones as it is always present. You do not need to make an effort to invent some more.
Sorrow is something that occurs mainly because of the choices and decisions we make. We often think only about the short time and ignore the big picture that awaits us. We do take certain decisions and choose certain options by only thinking about ourselves.
Therefore, he advises us not to have more as there is a pool of them already waiting for us.
Let yourself go. Pull out from the depths those thoughts that you do not understand, and spread them out in the sunlight and know the meaning of them.
This quote is one of those which you need to understand and keep in your mind. In today's fast-paced life, everyone is walking aimlessly without knowing the next step to be taken. So, this quote is for all those souls.
In this quote, Forster says you should let yourself go. To let you go means to behave in a free and open way. It allows you to feel and express your emotions. You begin to stop worrying about what people think about you and live your life in a relaxed way.
To be free, you should first yourself out from the depth of those notions you never get a hold of. You just need to pull them out and lay them out in the sunlight and then try to understand them. You just have to pull out those thoughts and bring them in those lights where you will not find darkness and then try to find what it truly means.
Therefore, try to let yourself go even when it seems complicated.
Think before you speak is criticism's motto; speak before you think, creation's.
Criticism is the act of expressing disapproval and noting all the problems or faults of a person. It is the process of judging others or passing comments to point out their disapproval over someone or a thing.
Creation is the process of bringing something to life. It is to bring something to existence. To create something means to set up or to have the pieces of something. It is to produce something new by using your talent and imagination.
Forster says that criticism's slogan is to think before you utter a word. Before you speak anything, you need to think it over, as words cannot be taken back once spoken. No matter how much it hurts, you cannot do anything about it.
Creation says that you should speak before you think. When you think of it as the right one, as if you think, you tend to overthink things before you speak. Then it leads to difficulty in making a decision, so speak what you feel at the moment.
Therefore speak according to the situation you are in. Speak when you need to and think twice when you have to.
One is certain of nothing but the truth of one's own emotions.
Emotion is a strong feeling derived from one's situations, mood, or relations with others. It is the part of a person's character that consists of their emotions rather than their thoughts.
Forster says that a person will not be certain of anything but the truth of their emotion as emotion is something that can change how you feel. You can variety of emotions in a single minute and do nothing but suffer.
Every person puts on a façade when they go out in society. They often strive to hide the emotions they feel. As at times, they want to be known as a person with a smile on their face. But even though they put on a mask, there are times when you become truly aware of how you feel. No matter how hard you try to hide in the end, your emotions come in front of you. You start to feel the truth of your emotion.
To make us feel small in the right way is a function of art; men can only make us feel small in the wrong way.
Art is an expression of human skill where one uses their imagination and creativity. This is typically in a visual form such as painting, music, literature, and even dance.
Art is something that makes us feel like we are small in front of them. No matter how hard we try, art always surprises us. It makes us feel like something so little that we cannot even stand in front of something, which is the true purpose of art.
People are something that can make us feel inferior and that too in a wrong way. The way they insult is what makes the situation embarrassing. We feel humiliated, and it surely causes pain that does not ease away.
Thus, do not make people feel small as you don't know what will happen to you.
Life is easy to chronicle, but bewildering to practice.
Chronicle is a factual written account of important events in the order of the way they occur. It is a record of a series of events in an authentic and detailed way.
Forster says that life is easy to record but confusing to practice. To practice life means to interact with the world actively. If people simply go through their lives doing their own thing, it is worth it.
Nowadays, people just record whatever is happening rather than practice and interact. In today's world of technology, people find it difficult to involve with people. And this issue is what Forster has highlighted in this quote.
Thus, try to involve with people as during tough times, you do need people with you.
Life is not meant to be lived perfectly but something which needs to be truly lived. It is something which should be lived boldly, wildly, and to be lived imperfectly. So, live your life without any limitations.
