The Celestial Omnibus

Fiction | Short Story | Adult | Published in 1911

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Themes

Art and Materialism

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 sonnet, his parents cede authority to Mr. Bons—who claims intellectual richness—and leave to seek whiskey—a relatively cheap pleasure.

However, materialism has no place on the omnibus: When the boy realizes he is unable to pay for a return ticket, his driver, Sir Thomas Browne, clarifies tickets cannot be paid with coin or exchange. When it comes to creating and consuming art, intellectualism inhibits the process. The omnibus is an egalitarian pursuit, an experience free of classism. Modernists like Forster endorsed this thinking, preferring to rid themselves of social conventions and focus on exchange of ideas. This freedom took precedence over materialistic backgrounds and wants, leading to the creation of like-minded art and literature—such as “The Celestial Omnibus.”

Art and Childhood Innocence

Forster explores the relationship between art and childhood innocence through the boy, who occupies a middle ground between his irreverent parents and intellectual neighbor Mr. Bons. Early on, he rejects his parents’ cynicism regarding the neighborhood signpost that reads “To Heaven” and points to an empty alley. Even though his mother insists “it was a joke, and not a very nice one” (Paragraph 1.1), he investigates the sign anyway. Similarly, when caught investigating by his father, the boy later revisits the alley in anticipation of the sunrise omnibus. Though he lives under his parents’ authority, his desire for adventure proves stronger. He believes in the omnibus, its magic—thus underscoring the intuitive power of childhood innocence. In this regard, the omnibus’s magic is intertwined with art, literature, and nature.

Forster explores childhood innocence through consistent use of literary allusion: The boy fails to recognize literary greats like British author Sir Thomas Browne, but this reinforces his innocence. When Sir Thomas introduces himself, the boy asks about his line of work, wondering if he’s “been a driver always” (Paragraph 2.19). To the knowing reader, this ignorance offers humor, but also earnestness. Instead of obsessing over names like Mr. Bons, the boy speaks to Sir Thomas on a personal level. As they journey, he enjoys sensory thrills like a rainbow as he would poetry—an art form that transforms from simple recitation to a magical, almost spiritual, experience due to the omnibus. Mr. Bons fails to see such thrills during their ride and lectures the boy to “never speak to these Immortals unless they speak to you” (Paragraph 3.54), elevating intellectualism over personal dialogue. However, just as the boy proves immune to his parents’ cynicism, so too does he resist Mr. Bons’s control. Innocence allows him to truly understand the literary figures of the omnibus—real and fictional—and ultimately be crowned for engaging with and enjoying art in all its forms. This crowning may read as a childlike fantasy, but is nevertheless real, as Mr. Bons’s lack of appreciation for fantasy leads to his real death. In rewarding the boy with understanding, Forster frames innocence, open-mindedness, as key to true artistry.

Adult Weaponization of Intellectualism

The short story lauds art as being able to literally transport and elevate humanity through a symbolic omnibus. It imagines “Heaven” as a world of literary figures—real and fictional. However, the story suggests not all engagement with art is equal: It contrasts the young boy’s intuition with the adult Mr. Bons’s intellectualism to suggest the latter impedes, rather than facilitates, artistic understanding. The story introduces Mr. Bons by various titles, including head of a local Literary Society. These details seem to indicate aesthetic sensibility, but Mr. Bons’s interest in art is superficial. When the boy’s mother mentions owning two volumes of Percy Bysshe Shelley’s poetry, Mr. Bons quickly counters that he owns seven “Shelleys.” Similarly, he introduces Dante Alighieri as “the man who wrote [his] vellum books” (Paragraph 3.46)—books that symbolize his preference for show over sensory experience. This pattern suggests his interest in art and literature is a form of cultural capital, a way to elevate himself above his neighbors. Despite his allusions to famous authors, Mr. Bons never engages with their work on a personal level. Even his praise for the “essential truth of Poetry” (Paragraph 3.21) is a way of flaunting intellectual superiority.

Overall, Mr. Bons’s attitude prevents him from attaining artistic enlightenment. During his and the boy’s ride on the omnibus, he fails to see sensory thrills like rainbows. He is so preoccupied with what he believes art should be (a signifier of culture) that he cannot appreciate it on its own terms (as leisure reading, etc.). By contrast, the boy approaches art with no preconceptions except an intuitive understanding of beauty (evidenced by his appreciation of a sunset, etc.). The story suggests this is the correct way to engage with art.