A Passage to India - Forster's Comic Irony Which aspect of A Passage to India justifies the novel's superiority over Forster's other works? Perhaps it is Forster's demonstration of excellent mastery of various literary elements that places it among the greatest novels of the twentieth century. Among these literary elements, Forster's comic irony stands out, as he satirizes the English, Indians and the Anglo-Indian relationship throughout the novel. Frederick PW McDowell confirms this sentiment when he says "Forster, in his description (of the characters), is the witty satirist..." (100). Most English officials are presented satirically. Turton, Burton, McBryde and Major Callendar are all victims of Forster's scornful eye. Even the wives of these men cannot escape Forster's light teasing. For example, the Turtons are presented as unquestionably arrogant, although Mrs. Turton is much more haughty. Mrs. Turton automatically relegates all Indians to the servant class and is determined to keep her culture from being "adu"....