Even without reading the acknowledgments in Zadie Smith's On Beauty, it is extremely obvious that she draws inspiration from EM Forster's Howards End. From the first line, the reader can begin to draw parallels between the two novels. Surprisingly, Smith did not borrow his title from Forster's novel. Instead, it comes from Elaine Scarry's essay, On Beauty and Being Just, which begins with the assertion that "beauty gives birth to copies of itself" (Scarry 3). With this, Smith pays homage to the beauty of Forster's novel by beautifully emulating it in a modern American version. While taking a modern approach to Forster's novel about the condition of England, it retains the central characters and conflicts that permeate the classic novel. Smith's novel, like Forster's classic, focuses on the conflicts between two families on opposite ends of the ethical and political spectrum. These clashes offer the reader a significant insight into the issues of the time. Just as Forster addresses issues of class and feminism in his novel, Smith addresses issues such as race, opportunity, and intellect. Through his use of similar characters, plots, and reactions to beauty, Smith revamps the classic novel originally written by Forster. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original Essay Smith constructed main characters who are easily recognizable as modern American versions of Forster's English characters. Both novels focus on the thoughts of the main heroine. Smith's leading lady, Kiki Belsey, is obviously a reconstruction of the intellectual and liberal Margaret Schlegel. Although the similarities between the two are surprising, Smith created Kiki as a stronger female figure than Margaret. Although Margaret was extremely progressive and liberal for her place and time in history, she compromises some of her core beliefs and values ​​in order to appease her husband. Kiki, on the other hand, refuses to compromise on her ideas about marriage and love, which ultimately leads to her separation from her husband. Smith says this refusal is the mark of a true, strong, independent woman. Although the majority of Smith's characters are transpositions of Forster's, she felt that some actors were so complex that she found it necessary to split them into multiple people. Furthermore, it is evident that Smith is less forgiving of his morally corrupt characters than Forster. Although Henry Wilcox is not a sympathetic character, his two subsets are much more devious. Collectively, the two embody the infidelity and arrogance present in Henry's behavior. Separately, each adopts different aspects of Henry's flawed nature. Monty Kipps represents the superiority and conservative aspects of Wilcox's personality. Her traditionalist views on class structure and women's rights are reflected in Kipps' ideas on race and affirmative action. Howard Belsey, on the other hand, represents the ignorance that makes Henry such an unsympathetic character. Additionally, Carl Thomas is a handsome hip hop rapper who represents the lower class, just like Leonard Bast. Both men crave and seek culture and the upper classes, ultimately leading to their loss of identity in the process. Aside from the characters, Smith also borrowed heavily from Forster's plot in Howards End. Although some of Smith's scenes are strikingly similar to Forster's, she tends to give a modern twist to the outdated tale ofForster. There are obvious transformations, such as the evolution from Hélène's letters to Jérôme's emails. Both novels open with similar lines introducing these forms of communication. Smith begins: “We might as well start with Jerome's emails to his father” (3), while Forster says: “We might as well start with Helen's letters to her sister” (2). Even though these two lines seem incredibly similar, Smith goes on to further adjust Forster's plot to fit a modern American family. While class structure loomed large in English life in the early 20th century, it was not as well-defined an issue in the United States in the 1990s, when On Beauty was set. Instead, Smith turns class into an issue of race and educational opportunity. These issues are not only much more realistic for an interracial family living in the Northeast, but are also more relevant to its modern audience. Additionally, perhaps the most ironic aspect of Smith's novel is how she ended her novel. Howards End ended with Margaret finally obtaining her possession, the Howards End house, which answers many of the questions presented throughout the novel. In finally obtaining her pastoral inheritance, Margaret discovers the primary basis of her identity and answers the question of who will inherit England. Similarly, Smith ended his novel with a literal translation of Howard's ending. When Kiki leaves Howard, he discovers that his identity begins and ends with his wife. Like Margaret, he also inherits a house, along with children and all the responsibilities that entails. Smith subtly uses Zora's mouth to talk about the idea of ​​placing such importance on a pastoral setting. Zora warns against “any fall into pastoral error” which would simply be “a depoliticized reification” (218). She believes that this idealization of landscapes is the opposite of what intellectuals should believe. Although Smith ends his story with this ironic and cynical approach, both novels leave the ending open with hope for the future. Smith, like Forster, uses the beauty and reactions of his characters to comment on their distinct personalities. In Forster's novel, Beethoven's Fifth Symphony exposes each character's inner thoughts about beauty and life. As Margaret listens attentively to the music, Helen imagines "a goblin walking leisurely through the universe, from one end to the other" (Forster 46). Likewise, Smith uses classical music to expose the true nature of his characters. Howard, known for his inability to truly value beautiful art, simply sleeps through the masterpiece. Zora attempts to analyze the music while simultaneously listening to commentary, which reflects her habit of “[living] through the footnotes” (Smith 70). Jérôme, for his part, is moved by the music. Given his sensitive nature and deep connection to Christianity, it is understandable that he would be most moved by this piece. Like Helen, Kiki imagines inspired illustrations to accompany the music, such as monkeys and mermaids. The fact that she is not an intellectual allows her to see beyond the academic world surrounding Mozart's work. This open-mindedness allows her to appreciate music for what it truly is rather than dissecting it, like her daughter, or ignoring it completely, like her husband. Music is not the only way Smith reveals the complexity of his characters. Paintings are also a major element of Smith's novel. Howard, an art history professor, cannot recognize the beauty in anything in life, which Jerome diagnoses as "a denial of joy.