Itself." Khattam-Shud's fanatical followers have sworn a vow of silence, and are working round the clock to poison the Sea of Stories. THE villain responsible for Rashid's affliction is the sinister tyrant of the dark land of Chup, Khattam-Shud, whose name means "completely finished," "over and done with." He is "the Arch-Enemy of all Stories, even of Language Years since the publication of his novel "The Satanic Verses"? Rushdie had to conceal himself in the past two Lose the ability to speak and no wonder, considering the recent life of its author: under how many false and forgettable names, in how many sad cities, one wonders, has Mr. It stood by a mournful sea full of glumfish." In this tale, sorrow causes one to forget one's name and a city so ruinously sad that it had forgotten its name. This affliction of speech, central to the book, is paralleled by the affliction of the country, which is called Alifbay ("alphabet" in Hindustani most of the names in the book derive from this language, and a convenient glossary is providedĪt the end). But "luck has a way of running out without the slightest warning." One day Rashid's wife leaves him for a thin, whiny neighbor who hates stories he loses his gift and can only Rushdie's young hero, Haroun, is the son of the famous story-teller Rashid (a near-anagram of "Rushdie") Khalifa (Caliph) who is known as the "Ocean of Notions." Rashid is able, like Orpheus, to command the fascinated attentionĮven of the birds and beasts. In the course of the story he is aided by supernatural companions and confronts and defeats a wicked magician. It follows the classic folk tale in which the hero travels to strange lands to lift a spell on his nativeĬountry or cure his father of a fatal ailment. On the surface, "Haroun and the Sea of Stories" is a lively, wonderfully inventive comic tale with an updated Arabian Nights background. Who could have believed that a world-famous spiritual leader would publicly exhort his millions of followers to murder a novelist in another country, and promise them eternal salvation should they succeed?' The only difference is that the experiences that lie behind "Haroun and the Sea of Stories" are nearly as fantastic as anything in the tale. Salman Rushdie's remarkable new children's book belongs in this company.
White, who both as child and adult was described as resembling a mouse, made the hero of "Stuart Little" Never attains maturity, and must borrow or steal other people's children for his playmates. Many of Beatrix Potter's animals escape from claustrophobic domestic environments like that of her own respectably repressive Victorian parents. NovemAnother Dangerous Story From Salman Rushdie By ALISON LURIEĮhind many of the greatest and most joyful children's fantasies move the shadows of real and often unhappy events in theirĪuthors' lives. Another Dangerous Story From Salman Rushdie
0 kommentar(er)
