Puzzled in "A Passage to India"

Question

What is Forster referring to in "a passage to India" early in chapter 2 when he writes "before the big rush"?

Answer 1

In E.M. Forster's novel "A Passage to India," the phrase "before the big rush" likely refers to the anticipation or the calm before a major event or upheaval. This phrase is used in the context of the British colonial presence in India, where tensions are simmering beneath the surface, and it foreshadows the significant events and conflicts that will unfold as the story progresses. The "big rush" could be seen as a metaphor for the growing unrest and eventual clash between the British and the Indian population in the novel.