Growing Into Ourselves, and Into Understanding

While the first half of To Kill A Mockingbird retains a light and sometimes even playful mood, the midpoint flips the story onto a darker path, delving into the faults of humanity that continue to plague society today.

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Secret Lives

To Kill a Mockingbird is a story of secrets: the secrets that we hide from others, and the secrets that we hide from ourselves.

https://tkamchapter16.weebly.com/mr-dolphus-raymond.html

One of the most intriguing secrets revealed to the reader is the lifestyle of Dolphus Raymond. While most townspeople see Dolphus as a drunk who got himself stuck in the black crowd, the reality is quite to the contrary:

“Secretly… I’m not much of a drinker, but you see they could never, never understand that I live like I do because that’s the way I want to live.”

Dolphus is a good-hearted person who doesn’t see reason to treat blacks any worse than whites. He may be good, but that does not make him brave.

Dolphus is an example of someone who isn’t weak enough to give into conformity, yet isn’t strong enough to fight back. Instead, he lives a lie to keep his family safe. And sometimes that’s all a man can afford to do. His secret may not be righteous, but it was made with the right intentions in mind.

Along with secrets exclusive to a few people, Maycomb County also has its fair share of secrets that everyone hides from themselves. These are the hypocrisies that society attempts to avoid in fear of change.

https://actions.sumofus.org/a/social-security-for-teachers

One of these lies is perpetuated by Scout’s school teacher, Miss Gates. While in the middle of explaining how America is better than Germany because everyone is “equal,” one of Miss Gates’s students unintentionally points out an obvious flaw in her argument:

“[The Jews are] supposed to change money or somethin’, but that ain’t no cause to persecute ’em. They’re white, ain’t they?”

This inquiry leads Miss Gates to realize that inequality is bad enough in America that it is ingrained in children’s minds, making it comparable to that of Germany. But instead of acting upon her moment of clarity, she takes the path of least resistance by burying this hint of truth with one statement:

“Time for arithmetic, children.”

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The Hero of Maycomb County

Throughout the story, the reader meets a broad spectrum of characters, from the kind, innocent Tom Robinson, to the tobacco-chewing, daughter-beating Bob Ewell, to the main character Scout, who finds herself caught up between these extremes. All of these characters reveal their flaws at one point or another – Scout throws the occasional fit, and even Tom gives up all hope and makes a run for it at the labor camp – all, except one: Atticus Finch.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atticus_Finch

Atticus is the hero of Maycomb County. He is kind and caring for his children. He is open and honest, being described as “the same in the courtroom as he is on the public streets.” But most importantly, Atticus is brave. He is willing to stand in the face of adversity when others falter. As Miss Maudie says to Jem:

“I simply want to tell you that there are some men in this world who were born to do our unpleasant jobs for us. Your father’s one of them.”

Courage and leadership are the two signs of a hero. Atticus says what others are afraid to say, and this nonconformity is the catalyst for change:

“This case is as simple as black and white.”

This statement is arguably the most clever and impactful thing that Atticus points out in the entire story. On the surface level, he is telling the courtroom that his client is obviously innocent and there is no arguing that. But at the same time, he explains why this whole lawsuit was necessary anyway: Tom Robinson is black, and Mayella Ewell is white. It is, unfortunately, that simple, and Atticus hopes that when people realize this, they will also notice the absurdity in their own social norms. Only a hero could make such a bold statement.

But why is Atticus such a perfect hero? What is the ultimate purpose of his character? It is to show the reader that being heroic is not as easy as it seems, and does not always come with results, as other stories would lead us to believe. Atticus is the man who most people would want to be in such a predicament, but few actually have the willpower that it takes. It is much more likely that any given person living in 1930’s Alabama would question the racial divide as a child, but end up going with the flow by adulthood, because of how hard it is to change people’s minds. Even Atticus sees little fruit from all of his labor, with his biggest victory being the fact that the jury took some time to consider not unanimously voting against Tom.

Luckily, this can be seen from a more positive perspective. Sure, Atticus did not save Tom. And sure, equality is not right around the corner. But that’s not how change works. You can’t just expect a problem to solve itself overnight. These things take time. Racial segregation is a great American evil with deep roots in our history, but great progress has been made and continues to be made each and every day. According to this article from Brookings, in 1998, 86% of whites claimed they had black friends, compared to 18% in 1964, and about a third of the black population was already living in the suburbs.

Anyone can be Atticus, if he/she is willing to accept that progress is a slow march, and it will take the help of many more Attici before the fight is over.

“Atticus Finch won’t win, he can’t win, but he’s the only man in these parts who can keep a jury out so long in a case like that. And I thought to myself, well, we’re making a step – it’s just a baby-step, but it’s a step”

http://www.oclc.org/blog/main/time-to-change-2/

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Literature Circle

Instead of the usual Socratic Seminar, my English class discussed our reading in a “lit circle” format, where we were separated into small groups, with each person being assigned a specific job. For both weeks, we had insightful discussions, but the most interesting topic we talked about was the symbolism of the title.

Who is the Mockingbird? My group believes it is Tom Robinson.

https://www.thespruce.com/northern-mockingbird-profile-387262

Mockingbirds are known for their innocence.

“Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy . . . but sing their hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.”

Robinson is comparable to a mockingbird in this way. Just like a mockingbird, he sang his song for Miss Mayella by doing chores out of the good of his heart. He was innocent, and killing him, just like killing a mockingbird, is a sin.

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Conclusion

To Kill a Mockingbird is a classic, timeless tale rich with character. It conveys its themes of truth, lies, and prejudice cleverly with many intricate little details that come together to form a heartfelt read with a poignant message at its core. Although it did not change my life as many others claim it has, this story was nonetheless a quality read that made me think about society in ways I hadn’t beforehand. Everyone should read this book at least once.

4.5/5

https://sites.google.com/a/student.bcsdny.org/mrs-lagan-s-english-we/eng-1r/handouts/to-kill-a-mockingbird

 

Family, Friends, and Small Town America

https://sites.google.com/a/mbusdapps.org/amp6/literary-analysis/mockingbirds–scout-jem

First Impressions

To Kill a Mockingbird is a classic tale that takes place in the fictional Maycomb County, Alabama, during the 1930’s. The opening nine chapters of the book were much more light hearted than I expected going in.

The story is told through the perspective of Jean Louise “Scout” Finch, a small-town girl who loves long summer days and getting tied up in adventures with her older brother, Jem. During the first few chapters, the reader gets a feel for Scout’s world; she leads us through her elementary school troubles, backyard shenanigans, and a playground love story – nostalgic moments that hold a timeless familiarity to suburban kids everywhere.

This nostalgic feel is cleverly juxtaposed with the confusion that comes with growing up, a confusion that serves as a gateway to the central themes of the story. Every once and a while, the reader is shown a glimpse beyond the facade of Scout’s playful childhood and into the absurd reality that is adult life. These glimpses reveal faults in humanity that children take note of at first glance only to “grow up” and accept the world’s problems with a numb apathy. Seeing the story through Scout’s eyes is wholly important to its themes because of this, making you stop and question why things are the way they are right when Scout does.

More on this later, but first, an introduction to Atticus.

Atticus

https://www.artofmanliness.com/2011/02/02/lessons-in-manliness-from-atticus-finch/

Atticus Finch is the father of Jem and Scout Finch, and a key part of the story’s main conflict. He is a criminal defense lawyer who can be boring to his kids but loving and wise nonetheless.

So what makes him so important? Atticus has a big court case coming up, and his job is to side with a black man. Keep in mind that this story takes place in a small Alabama town in the 1930’s. Because of this, practically every other chapter has the reader meeting someone new who hates Atticus for the same dumb reason, and isn’t afraid to say so in front of his kids.

The most rambunctious of these people is Scout’s cousin, Francis. During a Christmas gathering, Francis expresses his dislike of Atticus by calling him a “nigger-lover” over and over until he earns a righteous punch in the face from Scout. At first, Francis successfully frames Scout as the perpetrator, taking advantage of her current outcast negro-loving status. Later though, away from the bias of the rest of the family, Uncle Jack and Atticus find Scout to be innocent, and this is Atticus’s reaction to the whole issue:

“You know what’s going to happen as well as I do, Jack, and I hope and pray I can get Jem and Scout through it without bitterness, and most of all, without catching Maycomb’s usual disease. Why reasonable people go stark raving mad when anything involving a Negro comes up, is something I don’t pretend to understand… I just hope that Jem and Scout come to me for their answers instead of listening to the town.”  

At the end of Chapter Nine, Atticus reveals himself to be a clear-minded, nonconforming individual and a genuine, caring father at the same time. He, unlike most people his age, has retained a childlike sense of right and wrong, and hopes the same for his children. Perhaps this is why Atticus is a criminal defense lawyer: to protect the outcasts and rejects that deserve protection.

This isn’t the first sign of wisdom Atticus shows, either. Much earlier, in Chapter Three, he introduces himself as the moral compass of the story with this nugget:

“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view . . . until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.”

Philosopher William James explains this idea best in his essay On A Certain Blindness in Human Beings. Here’s the basic idea:

Humans naturally care most about what is right in front of them: family, friends, work, passions, etc. Everyone lives in his/her own little world, constructed out of the information displayed all around them. When someone’s world collides with another’s and threatens to disrupt his/her reality,  prejudice is born. A closed mind is a comfortable mind, so the most comfortable thing to do when introduced to new information that undermines one’s understanding of the world is to reject it.

When rejection is the path of least resistance, prejudice becomes free to grow, fueled by a mob mentality. Next thing you know, you’ve got 1930’s Alabama.

Most people in Maycomb County accept prejudice with open arms, happy to live in their ignorant little world. But not Atticus. He is stronger than to conform, because as a lawyer, he is never quick to judge.

Socratic Seminar

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socrates

Every week, my class holds an edgy student-only discussion called a Socratic Seminar about what we’ve read. Some weeks are full of insight, while others are dull. This week was the latter. The issue wasn’t with the material we were talking about; now that I’ve taken some time to reflect, I have plenty to say about To Kill a Mockingbird. I think our main problem was that we’re just really bad question-makers sometimes. Most people in the class (including yours truly) did not take advantage of the time we were given to develop solid, meaningful questions, and we ended up asking stuff like “how does it relate to killing mockingbirds” and “why is Scout a tomboy”.

Next week, I’ll make sure to go into the discussion with a few well-crafted prompts to get everyone thinking.

Conclusion

So far, I’ve loved reading To Kill a Mockingbird. It brings me back to the worry-free days of elementary school while simultaneously raising questions about the state of society. Why are we prejudiced? What can we learn about prejudice from children? And, most importantly, how can we use this knowledge to end prejudice?

We Are the Ocean, and the Ocean is Us

This is it. My journey with Haroun has come to a close. To wrap up all the goofy characters, motifs and references in a big, shiny bow, my allusion group was prompted to make a project.

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Brainstorm!

http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/expanding-brain

The goal of said project was to portray our point of view when reading the story – allusions – to the rest of the class. When my group gathered together, we began the creative process like anyone else: by taking up space and breathing air. There were no light bulbs on day one, but that is quite all right; sometimes it is healthy to let a problem simmer on the back burner of the brain.

At first, thinking of a clever medium to explain the many convoluted references in “Haroun and the Sea of Stories” seemed a daunting task. But after a weekend break, our brains cooked up a perfect idea. On day two of the project, my group realized that instead of trying to simplify Rushdie’s sea of allusions, we could embrace it.

We finally agreed on a design with strings, pins and pictures. Imagine one of those murder mystery bulletin boards shown in detective movies, but plastered onto the wall of a high school classroom instead of a police office. The idea worked well; it looks complicated from a distance, but when observed closely, one begins to understand the many simple connections that make up the big picture.

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The Process

Work was steady and the project was finished after a few class periods.  First, we delved deeper into our lens, scavenging the book (and mainly the internet) for stories intertwined with HATSOS. I was surprised by some of our finds. One interesting nugget we discovered was the link between Mudra and Batman. Both are a Dark Knight of sorts, both fight for justice in a dark city, and both are considerably poor verbal communicators. You wouldn’t have caught that one in the first read-through, eh?

After finding a surplus of allusions, we got to work on the bulletin board. We danced through this part of the project; one member of the group would be sending images to the library printer, while another member would be dashing to retrieve them, while another would be cutting out pictures, while another would be pinning them up, and another would be jotting down explanations in Sharpie. This was when we really got into the flow of things.

The final product was just what I expected. Going off of my teacher’s rubric, I would give our group a solid 85%.

The system of strings and pins provided the message of complexity that we were going for; most people see allusions as simple references or shout-outs, but our project showed that they all join together to form a complex web that serves as the very foundation of any story. To be fair, the web ended up a bit shoddy due to our time constraints, which loses us a few points. So in conclusion, our final project was no work of art, but it reflected our outlook of the story well and provided the viewers with our unique insight.

http://battleofthebits.org/disk/battle/00001947/OHC01762%20.txt

The projects of the other groups were on a similar level. Both the satire and allegory groups produced some basic Prezis that were not original but provided clear definitions and helpful examples, like Will Ferrell’s satirical impression of George Bush. The mono myth group on the other hand was a bit more creative, using a board game as an analogy to take us through the many stages of the Hero’s Journey.

All in all, our class did well putting everything together. A for effort!

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What is the Point of Telling Stories That Aren’t Even True?

This question has festered in my head since day one, and I think I finally have an answer. From the angle of allusions, fictional stories provide a world of escape.

Millions of stories have been communicated through hundreds of mediums, from paintings to video games. Most allusions are not simply plopped on top of a finished story; they are deeply embedded into every page, powered by our subconscious story-telling instincts. No story is completely original. To make one new story requires a web of old stories that build upon one another until they blend into a great sea.

Every story flows through this ocean, an ocean that has become so vast and deep that it has become a world in itself. This world revolves around ours. Its waves crash upon our shores and soak into our soil. This world is bound together by the strong force that is allusion. Allusions control the ebb and flow of every story – the calm, the rough, the wind and the storms.

https://thelma1.deviantart.com/art/Rainbow-Ocean-24693999

Allusions bind all stories into one magical place that you and I can visit just as much as Haroun. The world serves as an escape from reality that can feel just as real sometimes. It drives our motivations and fuels our imaginations. This world is what makes us human.

So what is the point of stories that aren’t even true? That’s what.

– Third-Eyed Robot

 

 

The “Happy” Ending

“Haroun and the Sea of Stories” does a great job at providing a satisfying end to the plot while leaving the reader with plenty to ponder. The climactic battle of the Chups and Gups signifies an end to the war, but not to Haroun’s questions. Even after his visit to the P2C2E House and a meeting with the Walrus himself, things seem to become even more complicated than they began:

How did the Eggheads control the moon? What really happened to the P2C2E generator? Can the Walrus really manufacture happy endings? How are Kahani the moon and Kahani the city linked? In the midst of all these questions swirling through Haroun’s mind, the rest of the characters seem happy to accept the ending that they are given. This mindset shows that Haroun is a consistently-inquisitive character and suggests that there is no such thing as a true happy ending as well.

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Butt?

Another mystery left unsolved is that of Butt the Hoopoe. Throughout the story, it is made clear that Butt is not a bird but a machine. I did not think much of this strange detail until reading one of Butt’s last lines, a reaction to his being ignored by Haroun:

“No point even asking me, which you didn’t,” … “I’m only a machine.”

(Rushdie, ch. 12 par. 13)

https://helenblackburnart.wordpress.com/tag/butt-the-hoopoe/

Maybe this is nothing more than a little gaff, but it struck me as odd. Is Butt just making the first excuse he can think of to keep Haroun from requesting his help, or is there something more behind that statement?

I got a feeling that there is some sarcasm in the bird’s remark. Throughout the story, on both Earth and Kahani, Butt serves but one purpose: to be a self-proclaimed “Super Express” driver. (Rushdie, ch. 2, par. 15) His sole job is to transport and everyone treats him as such. Though this may be true, Butt makes a point of reminding people that robots have rights too:

“You maybe have some objection to machines?” … “But but but you have entrusted your life to me. Then I am not worthy of a little of your respect? Machines also have their sense of self-esteem…”

(Rushdie, ch. 4, par. 16)

Remarks like this suggest one of two things: either Hoopoe is just being sensitive, or he along with the rest of the robots are mistreated, perhaps even oppressed. The latter is much more fun to discuss.

The only type of robot that the reader meets on Kahani is the flying machine. As far as is known, all the other robo-birds and whatnot go about their business without any signs of resistance. All of them, of course, except for Butt. Butt’s occasional commentary on machine rights may be a weak attempt at proving his worth; the Hoopoe might be a simple robot, but he was modeled after a human. The machine even shows that he is aware of this:

 “No need to gawp like that, young sir, I can’t help it if I remind you of someone; at least, being a good driver, he’s a fellow who feels fond of a good, fast travel machine.”

(Rushdie, ch. 4, par. 15)

This linkage merges the line between man and machine. Now, I’m not going to get into the whole thing about robots becoming human; I want to talk about the opposite. Butt the mail coach, just like the Hoopoe, is treated as a machine and nothing more. The only character that seems to notice both Butts’ human features is Haroun himself; all the Guppees and bus riders see the Butts as a mode of transport. This could be reflective of the millions of job positions around the world where people are treated like machines, their cubicles draining the life out of them and exchanging it for green paper.

Is this interpretation at all what Salman Rushdie intended? Probably not. But but but it is still quite fun to think about.

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Anti-Climactic Final Discussion

Our second Socratic Seminar was great, but I feel that my group’s final discussion did not reach that same standard. Instead of building on one or two topics, nobody seemed to have much to say, resulting in bouncing around an array of weak ideas. One of the center points of discussion ended up being “Toy Story” references, which isn’t a bad thing in some cases but did not have much to do with anything in that situation. On the bright side, I got some insight into other people’s ideas of the history of the Chupwallas, a subject shrouded in mystery by the book.

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A Word on Speech

If knowledge is power, then speech is strength. Communication is a vehicle used to spread knowledge to others. This makes its existence vital to the growth of human society, for what use is knowledge when chained down to one frail memory? When knowledge is not spread and instead hidden, it is left to rot, locked in the darkest corner of the mind. What kind of power is that? This is one of the main themes that Salman Rushdie wished to bring to the reader through HATSOS.

http://www.groompower.com/grooms-speech/

Rushdie does not just prove the strength of speech but the disadvantage one has without it. This is done very clearly through the symbolism of the Chupwallas. The Chups are a race of people who have had their power of speech taken from them by an evil leader and have been wrongly associated with that leader. This leader, Khattam Shud, does not hate communication as his adversaries make it out to be; he just sees the limitation of it as an opportunity to seize power; if there is nobody to speak out against him, he can do as he pleases.

The Chupwallas mirror some of Rushdie’s real life experiences. His Khattam Shud is the man who put a fatwa on his head, Ayatollah Khomeini. His Chups are the good people of Iran who have been silenced by their leader.

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The Final Question

Before reading HATSOS, my class asked a question: “Are fictional stories morally-good lies?” My final answer is: “Well, sometimes”.

It is easy to prove that fictional stories are lies. The point of any story is to entertain in some way. For a fictional story to be truly entertaining, it must be captivating enough to suspend the reader/viewer/listener’s disbelief.  If a lie is a statement intended to deceive, then the purpose of a fictional story is to entertain through lies.

To prove that a fictional story is morally-good is a bit more difficult. The general definition of morally-good is that which is beneficial to the world’s well-being. If a fictional story is intended to teach a message that serves as a benefit to society, it is a morally-good lie. On the other hand, a fictional story can be used to harm, such as in propaganda or slander. HATSOS touches on this in the very beginning of the book:

“Anybody can tell stories,” … “Liars, and cheats, and crooks, for example. But for the stories with that Extra Ingredient, ah, for those, even the best storytellers need the Story Waters.”

In this analogy, a (morally) good story requires a meaningful lesson from the Sea of Stories.

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Conclusion

“Haroun and the Sea of Stories” throws the reader head-first into a wacky world full of colorful characters and deep, meaningful mystery. The goofy children’s book style serves the motifs perfectly, hinting at darker themes through a playful lens. Although parts of the story will appear confusing and abstract to some readers, this is rarely an issue with an open, imaginative mindset going in.

I will look back on this story with a fondness for its masterful mix of fairy tale and philosophy. It is a fun read I hope to come back to some day.

3.5/5

https://geekroll.wordpress.com/tag/haroun-and-the-sea-of-stories-question-answers/

 

 

 

 

The Adventure Continues!

I recently finished reading through Chapters Five to Eight of “Haroun and the Sea of Stories”, and my opinion of the book has stayed the same. The plot does not fail to satisfy, introducing a new theme or face each time a fresh chapter unfolds. The same can be said for the unique charm of the story’s world, which took off from the grounds of reality in the beginning and now soars high above, floating through clouds of imagination.

While the early chapters focus on story-telling, the middle chapters of “Haroun and the Sea of Stories” rely more on the themes of language boundaries and the division that comes with it. This theme is most apparent in Chapter Eight, “Shadow Warriors”, where the character Mudra struggles to introduce himself:

‘Gogogol,’ … ‘Kafkafka,’

In great bewilderment, Prince Bolo retorts with:

‘Eh? What’s that? What’s the fellow saying?’ … ‘I can’t make out a single word.’

Another character, Blabbermouth, has an interesting commentary on Bolo’s remarks:

‘What a poser, I swear,’ … ‘Our Bolo. Talking so big and rude because he thinks it’ll stop us from noticing the he’s scared out of his pants.’

This is quite an intriguing observation. In the previous chapter, the Shadow Warrior is described physically in great detail, with many of his Chup-like characteristics contrasting with their Gup counterparts. While the Guppees are light, the Chupwalas are dark, and etc…

resource

These cultural differences paired with Mudra’s poor verbal communication erects a wall between him and Prince Bolo. Bolo fears the Chupwalas simply because they are foreign and unbeknownst to him, which poses a threat. Such a simple barrier of communication is what drives humans into war and other conflicts, and Blabbermouth recognizes this wall in an instant.

Luckily, most of the Guppee gang is more open-minded than Bolo and willing to give Mudra a chance. It is soon discovered that he speaks fluently in a sort of sign language that Rashid is familiar with. After some translations, useful intel is recieved:

‘Mudra is a friend. Also… we have none other than the Champion Warrior of Chup, considered by most Chupwalas to be second ion authority only to Cultmaster Khattam-Shud himself.’ … ‘Mudra is no longer an ally of the Cultmaster’s. He has become disgusted with the growing cruelty and fanaticism of the Cult of the tongueless ice-idol Bezaban, and has broken off relations with Khattam-Shud…’

The team now has the enemy’s second-hand man allied with them, all because of a little sign language and the benefit of the doubt. Not so scary now, eh Bolo? Of course, Mudra could be lying, but that is a topic for another day.

Salmon Rushdie has woven many threads of other tales into “Haroun and the Sea of Stories” in the form of allusion. Rushdie incorporates allusions to borrow motifs, pay tribute, and leave clues of his inspirations. This pdf has a great list that covers most of the story’s main allusions, and some of these can be observed within Chapters Five to Eight.

One of the most apparent references found in the middle of the book alludes to “Alice in Wonderland”. The army of the Guppees is composed of Pages that make up Chapters and Volumes, a military structure very reminiscent of the army of Cards that make up the Decks. The Guppee queen also mirrors the Queen of Cards, both sharing a few… defining features.

resource

One of the driving questions behind this book is an inquiry of its own purpose:

‘What’s the point in telling stories that aren’t even true?’

Rushdie plants this question in the reader’s mind during Chapter One, which gives it plenty of time to grow and fester in the back of the brain. After some pondering, I have found a relatively straightforward answer to this question. Fictional stories teach lessons and provide humans with something that most could not stay happy and sane without: entertainment.

“Haroun and the Sea of Stories” expands on this answer throughout the story in a few ways. First and most obviously, Rushdie takes something that is seemingly-not true to Haroun – one of his father’s stories – and makes it real, sending Haroun to the world itself. This concept relates to the law of attraction, which states that thought and desire ultimately design our reality.

Salman Rushdie also uses numerous metaphors to support the themes he explains to the reader. Such metaphors include:

• The Story Waters serving as a source of spirit, showing Rashid depressed without them
• The sad condition of the Chupwalas, who have no tongue to tell their stories in
• The happy-go-lucky Guppees, who live virtually care-free because of their constant chattering

resource

This Wednesday, my English class had another discussion concerning the deeper meanings of the book. My discussion group delved into a particularly insightful debate about the relationship between storytelling and juggling. In Chapter , Haroun talks to Blabbermouth about this idea:

‘I always though storytelling was like juggling,’ … ‘You keep a lot of different tales in the air, and juggle them up and down, and if you’re good you don’t drop any. So maybe juggling is a kind of storytelling, too.’

When this topic was first brought up, the group shut it down, thinking that everything was already explained in the passage. After another moment of consideration, many of us exploded with ideas. We made many connections between juggling and stories:

• Both take great skill and concentration
• No one part can be left out without ruining the rest
• The complexity and intensity of each act gradually increases
• The acts are always similar each time, but just different enough to captivate the audience
• Different types appeal to different audiences

Once the discussion was over, it became harder to point out differences between storytelling and juggling. That is the sign of a quality discussion.

In conclusion: good read, great metaphors, amazing discussion.

 

 

 

“Haroun and the Sea of Stories” First Impressions

“Haroun and the Sea of Stories” by Salman Rushdie is a quirky yet mystical book. The story sets off in a normal setting, but sooner than later smoothly transitions the reader into the world of the absurd; this smartly lulled me into a child-like mind state that makes Rushdie’s carefully-crafted world all the more magical. The unique concoction of east and western culture blends together to make a strange and unfamiliar yet fantastic world unlike anything I’ve ever read before. That is what makes this story so captivating; it is very goofy and unpredictable, and I like that. Stories like these challenge the reader’s imagination making them a joy to experience.

https://listening-books.overdrive.com/media/630047

As original as his work is, Salman Rushdie takes inspiration from many different classics and portrays them through reference and allusion. Many characters in the early parts of the story follow similar rules to the side characters in “The Wizard of Oz”, where each has a counterpart in the familiar and unfamiliar worlds. One such character is Mr. Butt, the bus driver. Butt provides an illegally-fast mode of transport in the world of the familiar, leaving quite an impression on Haroun. He does the same on the moon of Kahani, this time in the form of a mechanical Hoopoe bird. The same could also be said for Rashid and Iff the Water Genie, a character that also alludes to “1001 Arabian Nights”. Normal Rashid and absurd Iff both play a similar role in Haroun’s journey; they teach him through the language of story. You can even see the father-son-like relationship between Iff and Haroun very clearly in the following exchange; Haroun starts with an objection:

‘…even if you do turn off your Story Water, my father will still be able to tell stories.’

Then Iff finds a response that he thinks will satisfy the boy:

‘Anybody can tell stories… Liars and cheats, and crooks, for example. But for stories with that Extra Ingredient, ah, for those, even the best storytellers need the Story Waters. Storytelling needs fuel, just like a car, and if you don’t have the Water, you just run out of Steam.’

This plan backfires and Haroun simply retorts with:

‘Why should I believe a word you say,’

https://www.emaze.com/@ALITITCL

In English class today, we held a Socratic Seminar (my English teacher’s edgy name for “student-led discussion”) on “Haroun and the Sea of Stories”. The book can be a bit confusing, so discussing it with others did help clear up some of the foggy parts. Personally, input from my fellow peers helped me better understand the allusions and water metaphors of the story. All in all, the beginning of “Haroun and the Sea of Stories” has been quite intriguing and a pleasure to read. I look forward to continuing along Haroun’s quest.

http://www.charleswuorinen.com/operas/haroun-and-the-sea-of-stories/