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Passivity
Passivity in Where Angels Fear To Tread is generally associated with the upper classes. The richer you are, the less you have to do (because, you know, you can just hire servants to do things for you). Idleness is seen as a sign of wealth. But what happens with the idle rich are forced into situations that require action—situations where they can't just sit around and do nothing? Is it better to take action but do something bad, or to be passive but fail to commit to anything? Yup: you just stumbled on to one of the big-deal questions of this novel.
Philip's passivity is a sign of cowardice; his failure to act shows a weakness in his moral character.
Forster uses Harriet as an example of the dangers of action when it is performed rashly and without forethought.
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