Howards End Essay

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“Families are the moral centre of society” Explore the portrayal and importance of a family’s values in the light of this statement. E.M. Forsters Howards End is a portrayal of the modern patriarchy and its ‘Corporate nature’. The Wilcox family is the prevalent depiction of this. It’s through their selfish family attitudes and their utilization of the ‘corporate machine’ that parts of society are ultimately damned. Leonard is Forsters mouthpiece for this. What this essay will explore is the Wilcox family in their overruling corporate “clan”. In juxtaposition to the other families and characters of the novel, with a further contrast with Isabel Colegates “The Shooting Party”. Through these two novels this essay will explore the portrayal and importance of a family’s value and whether “families are the moral centre of society. From the onset it is very clear that the Wilcoxes understanding of relationships is very different to that of the rest of society. The family as a whole are described by Forster as a “clan”. This description of what should be a close family bond is somewhat derogatory in fashion. It describes the family as a clique of people who represent similar values and are closed to the rest of society joining in with them. It also represents the family as a tribal force which is fiercely possessive of its material concerns, hence the childrens ressitance later to Margaret as a future wife for Henry. The Wilcoxes as Forster’s portrayal of the corporate patriarchy show from the onset that their values will overall affect society. The illustration of this is in concern with Leonard, a man steeped in self allusion who wants nothing more than to fulfil his aspiration of the corporate male. Yet he is cut off and shown the least care in the world “we are not concerned with the poor”. This shows the ultimate obstruction between the classes so clear in Howards
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