Where Angels Fear to Tread

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. Where Angels Fear to Tread is described as a tragicomedy. How did this blend of tones work for you? Did you find the story leaning more toward tragedy or comedy, and which moments best captured this dual nature?

2. Forster revisited the theme of a cultural clash between England and Italy in his later novel, A Room with a View. If you’ve read it, how did you find the exploration of this theme in his debut novel compared to his more famous work? If you haven’t, what did you think of the way this cultural collision drove the plot?

3. The novel’s title comes a line in Alexander Pope’s “An Essay on Criticism,” (1711), “Fools rush in where angels fear to tread.” Who do you believe are the “angels” in this story, and what folly do they commit by rushing in?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Philip’s romanticized vision of Italy is quickly shattered by the unrefined reality he encounters. Have you ever traveled to a place with strong expectations, only to find the reality was completely different? How did that experience change your perspective?

2. The Herriton family is obsessed with reputation and propriety, often at the expense of Lilia’s personal happiness. What examples of modern propriety are evident in the novel? How much has changed?

3. What did you think of Philip’s philosophy that one’s “real life is your own, and nothing can touch it,” suggesting we can retreat into our own minds? For you, does this feel like a comforting sentiment or an alienating philosophy?

4. Caroline Abbott critiques Sawston society for its “petty unselfishness,” where people make small sacrifices for things they don’t care about to please people they don’t love. What do you think she means by this, and does this idea resonate with any social expectations you’ve encountered?

5. Gino’s intense, possessive love for his son is presented as a powerful and redeeming force. What did you make of this portrayal of paternal love? Which of these competing forms of paternal love makes the most sense to you?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. The story is deeply rooted in the Edwardian era. In what ways do the period’s rigid expectations for class and gender act as the main antagonist of the novel?

2. Forster sets up a classic contrast between repressive England and passionate Italy. Does the novel ultimately present one culture as superior to the other, or does it offer a more complicated critique of both?

3. The guide notes that Forster, as a gay man in a repressive era, was sensitive to the stifling nature of English society. How might this authorial context inform the novel’s exploration of hidden emotions and the search for authenticity, particularly in characters like Philip and Caroline?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. Philip experiences a quiet “conversion” while watching Caroline comfort Gino. What do you believe he is being “saved” from in this pivotal scene? Is it a moral, emotional, or spiritual awakening?

2. Lilia’s baby is the central object of conflict in the novel. How does the baby’s meaning shift for different characters, from a social embarrassment for Mrs. Herriton to a living legacy for Gino? What does its tragic death ultimately symbolize?

3. Moments of physical violence, from a playful push to a brutal assault, punctuate the story. What role does this motif play in highlighting the clash between English intellectualism and Italian passion?

4. The famous motto of Forster’s later novel, Howards End (1910), is “Only connect.” How does the theme of connection, and the failure to connect, play out between the different characters and cultures in Where Angels Fear to Tread?

5. Near the end, Philip processes Caroline’s love for Gino by reframing it through classical myth. Why do you think he needs this artistic or intellectual filter to understand such a raw, passionate emotion?

6. The novel ends with Philip and Caroline closing the train carriage windows against the soot of the St. Gotthard tunnel. What is the significance of this final image? Does it suggest a retreat into emotional darkness or a quiet acceptance of their new reality?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. You’re tasked with creating a two-part travel guide to Monteriano. What key sights and social warnings would Philip include in the first section, written before he met Gino, and how would his advice change in the section written after the tragedy?

2. Caroline resolves to return to her old life in Sawston, knowing she is in love with Gino. Describe the first conversation she has with Mrs. Herriton upon her return.

3. The Herritons’ orderly, repressed life in Sawston is contrasted with the passionate, chaotic life of Monteriano. Choose one object that you feel represents the essence of Sawston and one that represents Monteriano. What makes these objects fitting symbols for each place?