Literature Network » E.M. Forster

Winning ways with character Zadie Smith's animating touch and ear for nuance compensate for some diffuse plotting, finds John Preston

Content courtesy of

From: The Sunday Telegraph London
Date: 20050904
Author:John Preston

ZADIE SMITH has acknowledged a big debt to E.M. Forster in her new novel, and to Howard's End in particular. Certainly, the starter- motor of her plot is thematically the same: the child of parents with one set of values is attracated to the child of parents with diametrically opposing views.

The Belseys are a mixed-race family brimming with liberal credentials. Howard, the father, is white, English, a professor of art history in New England and a colossal egomaniac. "Whenever Howard saw an opportunity to take the moral high ground, he pretty much catapulted himself towards it.'' His wife, ...

Read the rest of this article with a Free Trial at HighBeam Research.

Other Articles on E.M. Forster

About Our Articles: We've partnered with Highbeam Research to provide these article excerpts for your research needs. However, due to copyright laws, we cannot publish the whole article. To view these articles in full length you'll need to use the link above to access the free trial at Highbeam.