The Celestial Omnibus

E. M. Forster develops the interplay of art and materialism through setting and different philosophies. “The Celestial Omnibus” unfolds in Surbiton, London, where the boy’s family occupies house No. 28—Agathox Lodge. The boy observes his neighborhood, noting that “after No. 39 the quality of the houses dropped very suddenly” (Paragraph 1.15). His family’s house precedes this drop in quality, but the family is still not as wealthy as neighbor Mr. Bons, who owns an eye-catching house. Thus, different classes exist in proximity, and with them, different philosophies regarding materialism. The houses are pieces of art in themselves, reflecting their owners’ means and values.

Forster often juxtaposes the boy’s parents and Mr. Bons in terms of intellectual wealth. While the boy’s parents care not for art, other than a few volumes of poetry, Mr. Bons conflates quantity of literature with intellectual superiority. The boy’s parents are dismissive of their son’s curiosity, while Mr. Bons indulges in quoting names and such. Moreover, Mr. Bons references literary and philosophical figures to frame himself as a spiritual equal, superior to those who read for leisure like the boy’s family. Later, when the boy is forced to recite a John Keats

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