E. M. Forester's Howards End illustrates the social interaction between economic classes in nineteenth-century England. Forester's novel focuses specifically on the English middle class at different levels: the upper middle class, which is further classified into two groups, those of the new money and those of the old money, and the lower middle class. Forester embodies each of these social factions through one of the novel's three main families, the Schlegals, the Wilcoxes, and the Basts. Throughout the novel, Forester shows that every family, despite 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 their views on the path that nineteenth-century English society should follow on the path to economic and social prosperity, and on which social group England will ultimately inherit. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Margaret and Helen Schlegal represent ancient English traditions and money. Given their annual inheritance of six hundred pounds, there is no need for either sister to work. This work gap leaves the nuns time to devote themselves to practices of idealism and intellectualism, mainly in the fields of art and literature. This concern for the arts develops another focus for the Schlegal sisters, the importance of maintaining connections in every aspect of life. "Just connect! That was all his sermon. Just connect the prose and the passion, and both will be exalted, and human love will be seen in its fullest splendor. Live no more in fragments. Just connect, and the beast and the The monk, robbed of the isolation that is life for both, will die” (Forester 159). Although somewhat vague, this idea of ​​connection is prevalent in many aspects of existence. Both sisters hustle, 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 connects 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 English upper class, the catalysts of the English industrial revolution. "The Schlegals represent human liberal culture, the refined civilization of cultivated personal relationships, while the Wilcoxes built the [British] empire; they represent the short-haired executive type: narrow-minded, selfish, unscrupulous, spiritually cowardly, self-deceiving, 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 work prevents the Wilcoxes from focusing on the importance of art and literature, which causes them to lose sight of English ideals and traditions. Instead, the emphasis on work and earning causes a fixation to develop around the ideals of materialism and accumulation. Unlike the Schlegals, the Wilcoxes are not concerned with social or spiritual connections. Instead, Wilcoxes' motto is "Concentrate" (Forester 160). Although marginally unclear, this concentration likely centers on the realms of business, profit, and material accumulation. This clash between traditional and industrial ideals causes a rift to develop in English society. In termsof novel, Forester personifies this social conflict by juxtaposing the Schlegals and the Wilcoxes. He uses their interactions and evolutions to present his personal opinions regarding the fate of English society. In an attempt to recreate a more realistic social circle, Forester also includes Leonard Bast and his lover, Jacky, to portray the lower 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 is trapped in a dead-end, low-paying job, a far cry from the Wilcoxes' colonial conquests. He and his lover do not lead the lavish lives of either the Schlegals or the Wilcoxes and instead endure a rather miserable existence. Forester's inclusion of Basts is important for several reasons. First, despite his efforts to better himself, Leonard lacks the means to advance his place in society. Through Bast, Forester demonstrates and criticizes the rigidity of the British hierarchical scale. However, at the end of the novel, Leonard is somewhat assimilated into the upper class thanks to 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 at social gain by lending part of herself to Leonard through their relationship. Forester opens the door to new opportunities for the lower classes when he creates a scenario in which Helen and Leonard's illegitimate son could inherit Howards End or, metaphorically, England. Each of these three families represents different dimensions of British society. Using his novel, Forester unites these far-reaching social classes and begins to break down the structure of the English caste system. Through a multitude of relationships and connections, each family and its members come together to create a less rigid social system, allowing for greater mobility. The key to Forester's social plan is that no social group reigns over another, but each sector becomes interdependent on the others. Through this integration, Forester believes a more productive and prosperous England will develop. One of the most notable relationships at Howards End involves Margaret Schlegal and Ruth Wilcox. This friendship forms the initial structure of the entire novel. Unlike her family, Mrs. Wilcox embodies the ideals of the Old English aristocracy. More than in business or enterprise, he places great value on the traditions of family and home. "To separate from your home, from your father's home, should not be allowed. It is worse than dying" (Forester 71). After meeting Margaret Schlegal, Mrs. Wilcox is immediately attracted to her similar sense of tradition. Mrs Wilcox feels this bond so strong that she changes her will and leaves Howards End to Margaret, rather than to her own family. In keeping with the symbolism of the novel, Mrs. Wilcox demonstrates her desire to keep England (Howards End) immersed in Old England and its traditions. However, upon further consideration, the presence of contradictions within this potential legacy shows Forester's skepticism that traditional England can prevail. Despite Mrs Wilcox's love of England and tradition, she inadvertently leaves Howards End to a successor of mixed descent. Margaret, while embodying the values ​​of England, is not a complete product of it. Although described by her aunt as "English to the backbone" (Forester 7), Margaret and her siblings are actually of both English and German ancestry. In her attempt to adhere to tradition, Mrs. Wilcox has unintentionally left her beloved home to astranger. Another source of hypocrisy comes from the idea of ​​family lineage. Ancient English tradition requires that valuable family possessions be preserved within the confines of the family and passed on to subsequent generations. In her attempt to preserve Old English tradition, Mrs. Wilcox breaks it by leaving her home to someone outside her family. This situation foreshadows the imminent fall of Old England later in the novel. After a brief but important friendship with Margaret, Mrs. Wilcox dies quite early in the novel. Forester writes, “Ah, the old kind was dying” (Forester 75).His death marks the final fall of the aristocratic class. This end lays the foundations for the seizure of power by Wilcox and the English industrial class. While this rise to power is not instantaneous or long-lasting, their momentary hold is nevertheless firm. After Mrs. Wilcox's death, Mr. Wilcox and his immediate family gather to carry out her will. The family is shocked to discover that Margaret Schlegal will inherit Howards End. However, this scene symbolizes the transition of power from Old England to industrial England. Despite Mrs. Wilcox's desire to pass Howards End to Margaret and prolong 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 gains 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 triggers another vital relationship in the novel between Mr. Wilcox and Margaret. This union is notable because Forester 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 resented his masterful ways, but Margaret had too firm a grip on life to make a fuss. She was, in her own way, equally masterful. If he was a fortress, she was the top of a mountain" ( Forester 156). Despite Mr. Wilcox's perceived superiority, Margaret maintains faith in his equality, despite what he makes him believe. Regardless of her confidence, Margaret realizes that her future monetary well-being depends on Mr. Wilcox and the business class. “Despite her reticence, Margaret ultimately realizes that the Wilcoxes and the commercial community provide the financial island on which the intellectual rests” (Thomson 124). This reinforces Forester's idea of ​​class interdependence. Although Margaret is intent on maintaining her intellectual roots and preserving the traditions of England, she is aware that without embracing industry, the old rich class will come to an end as their annual inheritances run out. This failure to assimilate will undoubtedly lead to the absolute power of the commercial class and the loss of English tradition forever. 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 a level of equal importance between those of the new currency and those of the old. The interdependence between the two will ultimately lead to economic and social prosperity for England in the future. Arguably, the unification of the two groups mentioned above is relatively simple. However, Forester includes the Basts as representing the lowest sector of the English middle class. With nothing to offer the rest of the.