On The Conversion Of Philip's Personality In Where Angels Fear To Tread

E.M.Forster is one of the distinguished novelists in Edwardian period. By general consensus, Where Angels Fear to Tread, his first published novel, is a remarkable achievement in which all his characteristic gifts are displayed. Elizabeth Bowen claims that Where Angels Fear to Tread […] contained in embryo all the other books. F.R.Leavis goes even further, rating it the most successful of the pre-war novels. These positive responses to the novel demonstrate the unique charm of the novel.Comparing with the above mentioned British critics, American critic Lionel Trilling attaches more importance to the social context. Where Angels Fear to Tread, he says, is a work of its time in other ways than in its use of the dialectical intelligence. It is a novel of learning […] a novel of broken ties. It is a story of questioning, disillusionment and conversion. The relationship between the main characters comes to a deadlock several times, but eventually they clear up all the misunderstandings. As the attitude of the protagonist is changing gradually, his personality shifts from natural personality to actual personality and finally to ideal personality accordingly. Natural personality is the elementary phase which reflects human's natural desire. When the individual is unsatisfied with the surroundings, he will begin to question everything around himself. Actual personality is the consequence of individual socialization. When the idea of changing the society is in conflict with the reality, the individual will probably experience disillusionment. And ideal personality is the last phase in the development of personality. As the ideal existence of the perfect personality, ideal personality is the ideal generalization or reflection of the actual living conditions and developing trend.Concentrating on the conflicts in the period of social transformation, this thesis analyzes the conversion of Philip's personality from three different aspects, natural personality, actual personality and ideal personality. From the perspective of the author, these three words--questioning, disillusionment and conversion are crucial to have a command of the novel. The introduction summarizes the study of former critics and introduces personality briefly. In the main body of the thesis, the author analyzes the character's unique structure of feeling, combining with the Edwardian social conditions at first. The great changes taken place in the transitional period have shattered the shared values,which throws a boulder into Philip's heart. His following questioning to Sawston's values and his longing for change are the reflection of natural personality. Then the influence exerted by the social conditions on Philip has been illustrated. Philip's flabbiness and hesitation coming from the limitation of his class are on the way of his insight into life. He is unable to mediate between the ideal and the reality. Next, the last conversion of Philip after experiencing the disillusion has been elucidated. In the end, the conclusion summarizes the whole changing process from natural personality to ideal personality. During the process, Philip starts to introspect himself, in an attempt to promote self-evolvement and maturity through moral development.