Themes
Society and Class: In this book, the divisive boundaries of social class dominate practically all of the characters. The metaphor of the room with a view, which represents a life unrestrained by the strict laws of “good” society, appears constantly through the book in contrast to the highly structured, stuffy world in which our characters live. The question facing Lucy is whether or not one should succumb to a perfectly pleasant, but perhaps ultimately unsatisfying, life dictated by society’s rules in a dull, view-less room. The other option, to break free from the boundaries of social norms and class and find that room with an exciting view of the world around us, is incredibly difficult, but perhaps more appealing in the end.
Love: A Room with a View contains all the standard elements you need for a romance novel – two attractive, emotional young people, flowers, sunshine, violence, and Italy. In the ordinary “real” world of English high society that Forster describes, however, love is a little more challenging and far less obvious. Even if all of the ingredients for a passionate love affair are present, it takes a great deal of courage, determination, and confidence to make them come together.
Identity: In Forster’s text, Lucy faces a crisis of identity; she must choose between the conventional constraints and expectations she grew up with (those of stuffy Edwardian England) and the independent, questioning self that gradually emerges as she explores the world around her. The novel poses the development of personal identity as a kind of choice – we can either stay within the boundaries of how others think we should be, or we can deviate from these expectations and pursue ourselves as we know we should be.
Youth : The transitions from childhood to youth, then from youth to adulthood are important in A Room with a View. Childhood is defined as a period of safety and obedience, and of something perhaps approximating the bliss of ignorance. Youth, on the other hand, is seen as a time of transition and questioning, in which characters must discover for themselves what it means to be an individual out there in the world. The novel’s protagonist doesn’t go away to college to do her questioning the way most of us do – instead, she starts to wonder about things when she’s away from home (England) in Italy. This trip kick-starts the period of development and coming of age that’s at the center of the book.
Love: A Room with a View contains all the standard elements you need for a romance novel – two attractive, emotional young people, flowers, sunshine, violence, and Italy. In the ordinary “real” world of English high society that Forster describes, however, love is a little more challenging and far less obvious. Even if all of the ingredients for a passionate love affair are present, it takes a great deal of courage, determination, and confidence to make them come together.
Identity: In Forster’s text, Lucy faces a crisis of identity; she must choose between the conventional constraints and expectations she grew up with (those of stuffy Edwardian England) and the independent, questioning self that gradually emerges as she explores the world around her. The novel poses the development of personal identity as a kind of choice – we can either stay within the boundaries of how others think we should be, or we can deviate from these expectations and pursue ourselves as we know we should be.
Youth : The transitions from childhood to youth, then from youth to adulthood are important in A Room with a View. Childhood is defined as a period of safety and obedience, and of something perhaps approximating the bliss of ignorance. Youth, on the other hand, is seen as a time of transition and questioning, in which characters must discover for themselves what it means to be an individual out there in the world. The novel’s protagonist doesn’t go away to college to do her questioning the way most of us do – instead, she starts to wonder about things when she’s away from home (England) in Italy. This trip kick-starts the period of development and coming of age that’s at the center of the book.