1MINISTERULEDUCAȚIEI,CERCETĂRIIȘITINERETULUI [602681]

1MINISTERULEDUCAȚIEI,CERCETĂRIIȘITINERETULUI
UNIVERSITATEATEHNICĂDINCLUJNAPOCA
CENTRULUNIVERSITARNORDBAIAMARE
FACULTATEADELITERE
Specializarea:Limbașiliteraturaromână–Limbașiliteraturaengleză
DISERTAȚIE
HAROUNANDTHESEA
OFSTORIES&LUKA
ANDTHEFIREOFLIFE
student<overwriteyourname>
Roxana-LigiaIrimeș
(Vamoș)coordonatorștiințific
conf.dr.AdrianOțoiu
2017

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Characters:94688Words:189132CONTENTS
1.Argument…………………………………………………………………………………..3
2.Introduction…………………………………………………………………………….5
3.1MeaningandDefinition…………………………………………………………………..11
3.2HistoryandDevelopment……………………………………………………………….13
3.3Characteristics………………………………………………………………………………..15
3.4SalmanRushdieasaMagicRealist………………………………………………..18
3.5MagicRealismin“HarounandtheSeaofStories”and“Luka
andtheFireofLife”………………………………………………………………………………………19
4.Intertextualityin“LukaandtheFireofLife”………………….25
5.Theartofstorytellingin“LukaandtheFireof
Life”and“HarounandtheSeaofStories”………………..29
5.1Storytellingin“LukaandtheFireofLife”………………………………………29
5.2Storytellingin“HarounandtheSeaofStories”………………………………31
6.TheShadingofRealitiesthroughvideogamesin
“LukaandtheFireofLife”…………………………………………….35
7.HermeneuticsandHarounandtheSeaofStories………..40
Conclusions…………………………………………………………………………………………44
Listofacronyms…………………………………………………………………………………..45
REFERENCELIST………………………………………………………………………………46

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Characters:94688Words:1891331.Argument

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Characters:94688Words:189134

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Booksarefantasticrealmswhereonecanfindhidingandshelter
fromtheirdailyproblemsandenhancethespiritofthereader.But
booksalsohavetheirshareofmysteryandambiguity.Itisknown
thatmanyofthegreatestchildren’sfantasieshiderealandoften
unhappyeventsintheauthors’lives.E.B.White,whobothaschild
andadultwasdescribedasresemblingamouse,madetheheroof
“StuartLittle”amousebornintoahumanfamily.J.M.Barrie’s
PeterPan,likeBarriehimself,neverattainsmaturity,andmust
borroworstealotherpeople’schildrenforhisplaymates.Andmany
ofBeatrixPotter’sanimalsescapefromclaustrophobicdomestic
environmentslikethatofherownrespectablyrepressiveVictorian
parents.
SalmanRushdie’scaptivatingnewchildren’sbookfallintothis
category.Thespecialthingaboutthemisthattheexperiencesthat
liebehind“HarounandtheSeaofStories”arenearlyasfantasticas
anythinginthetale.AsAlisonLuriesaid,whocouldhavebelievedthat
aworld-famousspiritualleaderwouldpubliclyexhorthismillionsof
followerstomurderanovelistinanothercountry,andpromisethem
eternalsalvationshouldtheysucceed?(A.L,AnotherDangerousStory
fromSalmanRushdie)
“HarounandtheSeaofStories”followstheclassicfolktalein
whichtheherotravelstomagicalrealmstoliftaspellonhisnative
countryorcurehisfatherofafatalillness.Throughoutthestoryhe
isaidedbysupernaturalcompanionsandconfrontsanddefeatsa
wickedmagician.
Haroun,theheroofthestory,isthesonofthefamousstory-
tellerRashidKhalifaalsoknownasthe‘OceanofNotions’.Rashidis

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Characters:94688Words:189136suchastorytellerthaneventhebirdsandbeastsaredrawntohis
stories.OnedayRashid’swifeleaveshimforathin,unpleasant
neighbourwhohatesstoriesandheloseshisstorytellinggiftbeing
unabletoproduceanyarticulatesounds.Theinabilityofspeech,the
mainthemeofthebook,isparalleledbytheinabilityofthecountry,
whichiscalledAlifbay(‘alphabet’inHindustani),ofcomingtoa
stateofhappiness.Harounlivesinacitysosadthatinaway
predictsthetroubleandtribulationsthatHarounwillhaveto
surpass.InHaroun,sadnessleadstoidentitylossandalsotheloss
losetheabilityofstorytellingability.Thatcomesasnosurprise,
consideringRushdie’slifesincethepublicationofhisnovel“The
SatanicVerses”.Afterbeingsilencedbythefatwaplacedonhimby
AyatollahRuhollahKhomeiniofIran,andforcedfleehisnative
countrytohideabroad,hefindssomesortofcomfortinhis
children’sbook.TroughHaroun,Rushdiehastheopportunitytoset
thingsright,atleastatafictionallevel,militatingforthefreedomof
speechandidentity.TheAyatollahRuhollahKhomeiniisgivena
correspondentinthepersonoftheshadytyrantofthedarklandof
Chup,Khattam-Shud,whosenamemeans“completelyfinished”,“over
anddonewith”(H,79).Heis“theArch-EnemyofallStories,evenof
Languageitself.”(H,79),thesamewaythereligiustyrantwantedto
controlandsilenceRushdie.Khattam-Shud’sfanaticalfollowers
haveswornavowofsilence,andareworkingfranticallytopoison
theSeaofStories.“Butwhydoyouhatestoriessomuch?”Harounasks
whenhefinallyconfrontsthetyrant.“Storiesarefun.”(H,161)
Ican’tstopmakingassociationswithAyatollah’sRuhollah
KhomeinifollowersthatsworetokillRushdie,thiswaysilencing
himforeternity,thesamewayKhattam-Shudwantstosilenceand
controltheirrealm.“Theworld,however,isnotforFun….Theworldis
forControlling,”(H,161)repliesKhattam-Shud“Andinsideeverysingle
story,insideeveryStreamintheOcean,thereliesaworld,astory-world,
thatIcannotRuleatall.”(H,161)

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Characters:94688Words:189137Khattam-Shud’scountryisnotonlydarkandsoundless,but
freezingcold:“aplaceofshadows,ofbooksthatwearpadlocksand
tonguestornout”.(H,79)
“HarounandtheSeaofStories”isfullofcomicenergyandlively
verbalinventiondespitethesilenceanddarknessofthecityofChup.
InthecourseofhistravelsHaroun,likeDorothyinOz,acquires
threefantasticalcompanions:IfftheWaterGenie;Mr.Butt,the
crazybusdriver,whoturnsintoamechanicalbirdwithtelepathic
abilities;andMali,a“FloatingGardenerFirstClass,”madeof
seaweed.Harounalsovisitsodd,self-containedcommunitieslike
thoseintheOzbooks:inMoodyLand,forexample,theclimateis
affectedbythemoodoftheinhabitantsratherthantheotherway
around.
AsAlisonLuriestatesinheressayAnotherDangerousStory
fromSalmanRushdie,
thereareotherechoesfromearlierchildren'sclassics.Mr.Rushdie's
punsandanagrams,andhisexuberantwordplay,suggest“Alicein
Wonderland”.”Thearmy(or“Library”)ofthegoodlandofGupis
composedofPagesinthinuniformscoveredwithwriting,whoare
organizedintoChaptersandVolumes;itsgeneraliscalledKitab
(“Book”).Theirloveoffreespeechgivesthemastrategicadvantage
overthesilentsoldiersofGup,whose“habitsofsecrecyhadmade
themsuspiciousanddistrustfulofoneanother.”(A.L,Another
DangerousStoryfromSalmanRushdie)
“HarounandtheSeaofStories”issuretobeenjoyedbychildren,
butalsobyadults.Forexample,inhisjourney,Harounmeetstwo
PlentimawFish,whotalkinrhymedpoetry,andaShadowWarrior
whocanonlyspeakingesture,butcoughs“Gogogol…Kafkafka.”

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Characters:94688Words:189138AccordingtoAlisonLurie,
theextremelyfoolishandincompetentprinceandtheuglyprincess
ofGup(“thatnose,thoseteeth”)notonlyrecallThackeray's
burlesquefairytale“TheRoseandtheRing”:theymayalsoremind
somereadersoftheBritishroyalfamily.(“Afterall,”saysoneof
Haroun'scompanions,“it'snotasifwereallyletourcrownedheads
doanythingveryimportantaroundhere.”)Oneoftheilleffectsof
thepoisoningoftheSeaofStoriesisthat,astheFloatingGardener
says,“Certainpopularromanceshavebecomejustlonglistsof
shoppingexpeditions.Children'sstoriesalso.”(A.L,Another
DangerousStoryfromSalmanRushdie)
Wordsarepowerfulstuff,Godhimselfcreatedtheworldthrough
Word,andifagoodwriterororatorwritesorspeaksagainsta
publictyrantheisexpectedtobepunishedorexiled,orasin
SalmanRushdie’scasesentencedtodeathbythefatwa.Thatiswhy
asinglestorytellerlikeRashidismoredangeroustoatyrantthanan
army.“Whatstartswithstoriesendswithspying,”(H,161)says
Khattam-Shud.“Storiesmaketrouble.”(H,161),Youngorold,pooror
rich,educatedornot,weallenjoystories,troublesomeornot.We
maysaythatweareluckythatSalmanRushdiehasnotbeen
silenced,thathehassurvivedthedeaththreatsofthefatwa,and
thatthesourceofhisgeniushasnotbeenpoisonedandhiswritings
arebrilliantasever.
Anevidenceofhisbrilliantstorytellinggeniusishissecond
children’snovel“LukaandtheFireofLife”writtenforhisyoungest
son,Milan.Fortunatelyhisnewchildren’sbookisn’tshadowedby
thedifficultcircumstancesthatsurroundedhisfirstchildren’snovel.
EventhoughRushdiesaidinseveralinterviewsthatheconceived
Harounbeforethefatwahavingsentencedhimtodeathforhisnovel
“TheSatanicVerses”in1989,Harounwasdifficulttodetachfrom

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Characters:94688Words:189139thatcontext.Eventhehero,Haroun,wasfightingagainstforces
determinedtosilencestorytelling,aplotpointthatremindedusthe
author’sstruggleforfreedomofspeech.“LukaandtheFireofLife”
isamorelivelynovelthanHaroun,thoughthemainplotpointfrom
Harounappearsonceagain.ThelifeoftheRahidKalifathe
storyteller,andtheveryexistenceofstorytelling,areunderthreat.
Haroun’slittlebrotherLuka,longsforthesamekindsofadventures
hisolderbrother,Haroun,enjoyedyearsbefore.Awishsoon
fulfilledbytheNobodaddy,adoppelgangerofLuka’sfatherwhois
drainingawayhisenergyand,inturn,leechingawaythepossibility
ofmythandenchantment.Inordertorescuehisfatherandthefaith
ofstorytelling,LukamustentertheWorldofMagicandbringback
theFireofLife.
Togiveafreshapproachtotheproblem,Rushdiehasmadesome
SuperMario-likeupgradestothemagicalrealmheinventedin
Haroun.Witheveryheroictaskcompleted,Lukahastopusha
buttoninordertosavehisprogress,andanew-levelnumber
appearsinhisfieldofvision.Healsogetsplentyofextralives.But
eventhoughthesettingsarethatofavideogame,thecharacters
comeeitherfrommythology,otherauthor’splaysorhisvivid
imagination.AvideogameversionofaFireBugburstsinto“alittle
cloudofangry,buzzingsparks”(L,67)andanarmyofinsult-slinging
warriorsonflyingcarpetsdobattlewithacolonyoftouchyrats.
AmonghischaractersweidentifygodsofGreek,Egyptian,Norse,
AztecandChinesemythologystressingthediversityofamythical
worlderodedbyonscreeninterfaces.Eventhoughnotahugefanof
videogamesRushdieisn’tquiteagainstthem:Rashiddefendsthem
inthenovel’searlypages.Butthestorysuggeststheyarea

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Characters:94688Words:1891310mythmaker’schiefcompetition,andRushdieseemsdeterminedto
makehisbookbusierthananygame.
AccordingtoMarkAthitakisinhisSpellboundreviewonLuka,
postedinNewYorkTimesmagazine,
Forallthewhizzingandzoominggoingon,Luka’sbattlesare
ultimatelymoralones,andsomeofthenovel’sbestmomentscome
ashepondershowhisactionswillchangeothers’lives,whygetting
hiswayrequiresdispensingagonytohisenemiesandwhetherhe’s
demandingtoomuchofhisfriends.“Iamexploitingtheirloveand
loyalty,”hethinks.“Itseemsthereisnosuchthingasapurelygood
deed,acompletelyrightaction.”Andlikealotofadolescentmagical
heroes,Lukarecognizesthatthetoughpartaboutbeingakidisthat
thejobofbeingtheadultlargelyfallstohim.
Supercolossalultra-exploitsleavelimitedroomforsuchmusings.
Rushdie’schiefobligationistopushthestoryalong,ifsometimes
awkwardly,asinanabsurdbattleroyalfeaturingsquabbling,mud-
wrestlinggoddesses.(Venusisknockedoutofthecompetitionearly,
“reattachingherseveredarmsasshewent.”)Forcedtochoose
betweeninhabitingachild’smoraldecision-makingprocessand
addingmoreslapstickanddazzle,Rushdieknowshe’sgotsome
easilydistractedreaderstoplease.Thisinitselfisnoflaw:his
exuberantwordplayisevidentoneverypage,andthebookcloses
withanentertainingdefenseofstorytelling,eveninvideogame
form.ButasLuka’smothercautions,“intherealworldthereareno
levels,onlydifficulties,”(M.A,Spellbound)
andtheauthor,troughthebook,provesthatthosedifficulties
willbehardtoshake,nomatterhowdigitizedourmundaneworld
becomes.

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Characters:94688Words:18913113.MagicRealism
3.1MeaningandDefinition
AccordingtotheThePenguinDictionaryofLiteraryTermsand
LiteraryTheory,magicalrealismisa
“kindofmodernfictioninwhichfabulousandfantasticalelements
areincludedinanarrativethatotherwisemaintainsthereliable
toneofobjective,realisticreport”.Magicrealismmixesanddisrupts
ordinaryeverydayrealitywithstrange,„impossible‟andmiraculous
episodesandpowers.
Magicrealistnovelsandstorieshave,typicallyastrongnarrative
drive,inwhichtherecognizablyrealisticmergeswiththe
unexpectedandtheinexplicableandinwhichelementsofdreams,
fairystory,ormythologycombinewiththeeverydayreality,oftenin
mosaicorkaleidoscopicpatternofrefractionandrecurrence.(The
PenguinDictionaryofLiteraryTermsandLiteraryTheory)
Inmagicrealism,wefindthetransformationofthecommonand
theeverydayintotheawesomeandtheunreal.Itismostlyanartof
surprises.Timeexistsinakindoftimelessfluidityandtheunreal
happensaspartofreality.
Aliterarymoderatherthanadistinguishablegenre,magic
realismaimstoseizetheparadoxoftheunionofopposites.For
instance,itchallengespolaroppositeslikelifeanddeathandthe
precolonialpastversusthepost-industrialpresent.Magicrealism
differsfrompurefantasyprimarilybecauseitissetinanormal,
modernworldwithauthenticdescriptionsofhumansandsociety.
Inmagicrealism,themagicalelementsareblendedintoa
realisticatmosphereinordertoaccessadeeperunderstandingof
reality.Thesemagicalelementsareexplainedlikenormal
occurrencesthatarepresentedinastraightforwardmannerwhich
allowsthe“real”andthe“fantastic”tobeacceptedinthesame
streamofthought.Ithasbeenwidelyconsideredaliteraryand

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Characters:94688Words:1891312visualartgenre;creativefieldsthatexhibitlesssignificantsignsof
magicrealismincludefilmandmusic.

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Characters:94688Words:18913133.2HistoryandDevelopment
Magicrealismisatermusedtodescribethecomminglingof
everydayrealitywithsupernaturalevents.Thetwoterms„magic‟
and„realism‟havebecomesointertwinedthatstrange,unearthly
happeningsbecomealmostanaccepted,evennormalpartofdaily
life.
AccordingtotheThePenguinDictionaryofLiteraryTermsand
LiteraryTheory,thetermofmagicalrealism,
wascoinedbyFranzRohandusedinthetitleofhisbookNach-
expressionismus,magischerRealismus:Problemederneuesten
europaischerMalerei(1925).Hewasconcernedwiththe
characteristicsandtendenciesdiscernibleintheworkofcertain
Germanpaintersoftheperiod,especiallytheneueSachlichkeit(q.v.)
artistsofMunich.Theirworkwasmarkedbytheuseofstill,sharply
defined,smoothlypaintedimagesoffiguresandobjectsdepictedin
asomewhatsurrealisticmanner.Thethemesandsubjectswere
oftenimaginary,somewhatoutlandishandfantasticandwitha
certaindream-likequality.Theeffectscouldbepowerful.Magic
realismwasalsoassociatedwiththe1920’sItalianmovement
stracitta(q.v.).Later,earlyinthe1940’s,theideaandtermmagic
realismreappearedintheUSA.In1943theNewYorkMuseumof
ModernArtheldanexhibitioncalled‘AmericanRealistsandMagic
Realists’.Amongthedistinguishedpainterswhoseworkwashung
wereEdwardHopper(1882-1967)andCharlesSheeler(1883-1965).
Subsequently,Hopper'spaintingsinparticularweretoreceive
considerablepublicityinBritainandelsewhere.Graduallytheterm
cametobeassociatedwithcertainkindsoffiction.Inthelate1940’s
GeorgeSaiko(1892-1962),theAustriannovelist,begantopublish
fictionofaquasi-surrealisticnatureandheexpressedhisviews
aboutwhathecalledmagischerRealismusinhisbookDie
WirklichkeithatdoppeltenBoden.Gedankenzummagischen
Realismus(1952).Induecoursethetermcaughtoninliterary
circlesandwasusedbycritics.Bythe1980’sithadbecomeawell-

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Characters:94688Words:1891314established‘label’forsomeformsoffiction.Ithasbeenapplied,for
instance,totheworkofLuisBorges(1899-1988),theArgentinian
whoin1935publishedhisHistoriauniversaldelainfamia,regarded
bymanyasthefirstworkofmagicrealism.TheColombiannovelist
GabrielGarcíaMárquez(1928-)isalsoregardedasanotable
exponentofthiskindoffiction,especiallyhisnovelCienaniosde
soledador‘OneHundredYearsofSolitude’(1967).TheCubanAlejo
Carpentier(1904-1980)isanotherdescribedasa‘magicrealist’.
Experimentsinmagicrealismeffectsandtechniquesarealsotobe
foundinthefictionofItaloCalvino(1923-1985),JohnFowles
(1926-),GunterGrass(1927-),EmmaTennant(1938-),Angela
Carter(1940-)andSalmanRushdie(1947-).(ThePenguin
DictionaryofLiteraryTermsandLiteraryTheory)
Theconceptofmagicrealismisatroubledoneforliterary
theory.Innoneofitsapplicationstoliteraturehastheconceptof
magicrealismeversuccessfullydifferentiatedbetweenitselfand
neighbouringgenressuchasfabulation,metafiction,thebaroque,
thefantastic,theuncanny,orthemarvellous,andconsequentlyitis
notsurprisingthatsomecriticshavechosentoabandontheterm
altogether.
InthewordsofMárquez,“Youcangetpeopletobelieveanythingif
youtellitconvincinglyenough”.Thisisthebasicprincipleofmagic
realistwriting.

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Characters:94688Words:18913153.3Characteristics
Thecharacteristicsofmagicalrealismaccuratelyportraywhat
onemightexpectfromamagicrealisttext.AsfoundintheThe
PenguinDictionaryofLiteraryTermsandLiteraryTheory,
Someofthecharacteristicfeaturesofthiskindoffictionarethe
minglingandjuxtapositionoftherealisticandthefantasticor
bizarre,skilfultimeshifts,convolutedandevenlabyrinthine
narrativesandplots,miscellaneoususeofdreams,mythsandfairy
stories,expressionisticandevensurrealisticdescription,arcane
erudition,theelementofsurpriseorabruptshock,thehorrificand
theinexplicable.Itisseldomeasytodefineitasagenreanda
plausiblecasemightbemadethatthereareplentifulinstancesof
magicrealisminthefictionofKleist,E.T.A.Hoffmann,Prosper
Merimee,Fournier,Kafka,RonaldFirbankandEdwardUpward.
(ThePenguinDictionaryofLiteraryTermsandLiteraryTheory)
Fewofthemostimportantcharacteristicsofmagicrealisttexts
include:hybridity,fantasticalelements,senseofmystery,irony
regardingauthor’sperspective,thesupernaturalandnatural,
metafictionandpoliticalcritique.
Theprimaryfeatureofmagicalrealismishybridity.Theplotsof
magicrealistworksinvolveissuesofborders,mixing,andchange.
Authorsestablishtheseplotstorevealacrucialpurposeofmagic
realism:amoredeepandtruerealitythanconventionalrealist
techniqueswouldillustrate.
Asecondfeatureormagicalrealismisthatoffantastical
elements.MagicrealisminliteratureaccordingtoOxfordConcise
DictionaryofLiteraryTermsisdefinedas
“akindofmodernfictioninwhichfabulousandfantasticalevents
areincludedinanarrativethatotherwisemaintainsthe‘reliable’
toneofobjectiverealisticreport,designatingatendencyofthe
modernnoveltoreachbeyondtheconfinesofrealismanddraw
upontheenergiesoffable,folktale,andmythwhilemaintaininga

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Characters:94688Words:1891316strongcontemporarysocialrelevance”.(OxfordConciseDictionary
ofLiteraryTerms)
Thefantasticattributesgiventocharactersinsuchnovels,
levitation,flight,telepathy,telekinesis,etc.areamongthemeans
thatmagicrealismadoptsinordertosurroundtheshadypolitical
realitiesofthe20thcentury.
Anotherfeatureisthesenseofmystery.Magicrealistliterature
tendstoreadatanintensifiedlevel.Whenreading“OneHundred
YearsofSolitude”(1967)byGabrielGarcíaMárquez,thereader
mustforgetaboutconventionalexposition,plotadvancement,linear
timestructure,scientificreason,soonandsoforth,andbeopened
toastateofheightenedawarenessoflife’sconnectednessorhidden
meanings.
IronyRegardingAuthor’sPerspectiveisanotherfeatureof
magicalrealism.Thewritermusthaveironicdistancefromthe
magicalworldviewfortherealismnottobecompromised.
Simultaneously,thewritermuststronglyrespectthemagic,orelse
themagicdissolvesintosimplefolkbelieforcompletefantasy,split
fromtherealinsteadofsynchronizedwithit.
Inmagicrealism,thesupernaturalisnotdisplayedas
questionable.Whilethereaderrealizesthattherationaland
irrationalareoppositeandconflictingpolarities,theyarenot
disconcertedbecausethesupernaturalisintegratedwithinthe
normsofperceptionofthenarratorandcharactersinthefictional
world.
Oneoftheothercharacteristics,metafictioncentersonthe
reader’sroleinliterature.Itistheprimarytoolintheexecutionof
textualization.Toacomplishthis,twoconditionsmustbemetfirst,
whereafictitiousreaderentersthestorywithinastorywhilereading
it,makingusself-consciousofourstatusasreaderandsecondly,
wherethetextualworldentersintothereader’sworld.
Politicalcritique,anothertraitofmagicrealismcontainsan
implicitcriticismofsociety,particularlytheelite.Especiallywith

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Characters:94688Words:1891317regardtoLatinAmerica,thestylebreaksfromtheinarguable
discourseofprivilegedcentersofliterature.Thisisatraitprimarily
aboutandforthegeographically,sociallyandeconomically
marginalized.Therefore,magicrealism'salternativeworldworksto
correcttherealityofestablishedviewpoints(likerealism,naturalism,
modernism).

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Characters:94688Words:18913183.4SalmanRushdieasaMagicRealist
SalmanRushdie,oneofIndia’swellknownwriterswasborntoa
MuslimfamilyinBombayon19June1947.HegrewupinMumbai
andgraduatedwithhonorsfromKing’sCollege,Cambridge.Settled
inEngland,Rushdie’sliterarycareerstartedwithhisfirstpoorseller
novel,Grimus(1975).Withthepublicationofhissecondnovel,
Midnight’sChildren(1981),Rushdie’sfamespreadworld-wideand
thefollowingnovelsShame(1983)andTheSatanicVerses(1988)
madehimoneofthebestcontemporarynovelistsintheworld.The
allegoricalnovelTheSatanicVersesraisedmanycontroversies
amongMuslimfundamentalistsincludingAyatollahKhomeiniwho
issuedafatwasentencingRushdietodeath.HewontheBookerof
Bookersprizein1993withhissecondnovelMidnight’sChildren.In
2008itwasselectedasTheBestofBookers.ButIdaretosaythat
arethetwochildren’snovelsHarounandtheSeaofStories(1990)
andLukaandtheFireofLife(2010)thataremostbelovedand
enjoyedbybothchildrenandadults.
Rushdieusesthenarrativestyleofmagicrealisminwhichmyth
andfantasyareblendedwithreallife,toblurthedistinction
betweenfantasyandreality.Hegivesanequalacceptanceforthe
ordinaryandtheextraordinary.Hefuseslyricaland,attimes,
fantasticwritingwithanexaminationofthecharacterofhuman
existenceandanimplicitcriticismofsociety,particularlytheelite.
Wearenotmistakentothinkofhimasoneofthegreatestmagic
realistsever,ashejuggleswiththenarrativetechniqueofmagic
realism.

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Characters:94688Words:18913193.5MagicRealismin“HarounandtheSeaofStories”
and“LukaandtheFireofLife”
InaninterviewtakenbyMaxMillertoSalmanRushdie,
“MagicRealismisstillrealism”,whenaskedhowdoesfantasyhelp
usarriveatrealismhesaidthattherightquestionwouldbe“What
doestruthmeaninfiction?”andhefollowsup,referringmainlyto
hissecondchildren’sbook“LukaandtheFireofLife”:
“Becauseofcoursethefirstpremiseoffictionisthatit’snottrue,
thatthestorydoesnotrecordeventsthattookplace.Thesepeople
didn’texist.Thesethingsdidnothappen.Andthat’sthegoingin
pointofanovel.Sothenoveltellsyouflatoutatthebeginningthat
it’suntruthful.Butthensowhatdowemeanthenby“truthin
literature?”Andclearlywhatwemeanishumantruth,not
photographic,journalistic,recordedtruth,butthetruthwe
recognizeashumanbeings.Abouthowwearewitheachother,
howwedealwitheachother,whatareourstrengthsandour
weaknesses,howweinteractandwhatisthemeaningofourlives?
Imeanthisiswhatwelookat.Wedon’tneedtoknowthatAnna
Kareninareallyexisted.Weneedtoknowwhosheis,andwhat
movesher,andwhatherstorytellsusaboutourownlivesand
aboutourselvesandthatisthekindoftruththatasreaderswelook
forinliterature.Andnowonceyouacceptthestoriesarenottrue,
onceyoustartfromthatposition,thenyouunderstandthataflying
carpetand“MadameBovary”areuntrueinthesameway,andasa
resultbothofthemarewaysofarrivingatthetruthbytheroadof
untruth,andsothentheycanbothdoitthesameway.Imeanthis
isthefirstnovelinwhichIhaveactuallymanagedfinallytoinclude
aflyingcarpet.
IreallyI’vebeenwantingtodoitforalongtimeandtheimmediate
thingthatIthought.Themomentyoudecideyou’regoingtohavea
rugthatfliestroughtheairisyoumustimmediatelyaskyourself
realisticquestionsaboutit.Whatwouldthatbelikeifyouwere

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Characters:94688Words:1891320standingonacarpetanditlevitated?Woulditbedifficulttokeep
yourbalance?Wouldthecarpetberigidorwouldthemovementof
theairunderthecarpetmakethecarpetundulate?Ifyouflewvery
high,wouldn’titgetverycold?Howdoyoukeepwarmonaflying
carpet?AndIthinkthemomentyoustartaskingyourselfthose
kindofpractical,real-worldquestionstheflyingcarpetbecomes
believable.Itbecomesathingthatmightexistandifexisted,it
wouldfunctionlikethis.Butintheendwhatyou’relookingforin
thesetwobooks,afairytale,afable,anallegory,afantasyisthe
samethingyou’relookingforinkindofkitchen-sinkrealism.
You’relookingforpeoplethatyoucanbelieveinbehavinginways
thatyoucanrecognize,andwhichtellyousomething.Those
behaviorstellyousomethingaboutyourownbehaviorandyour
ownnatureandaboutthelifeofthepersonnextdoortoyouaswell,
sohumantruthiswhatyou’relookingforanndyoucangettothat
bymanydifferentroads.”
Agreatexampleofmagicrealismin“HarounandtheSeaof
Stories”,iswhenHaroungoesonafictionaljourneytotryandbring
backhisdadsstorytellingability.
Haroun’scuriosityofthesourceofhisfather’sstories,since
“storiescan’tsimplycomeoutofthinair.”(H,17),isn’tsatisfiedbyhis
fathertellinghimthatallstoriescomefromthegreatStorySea.As
allstoriesmusthaveatrigger,Harounmakesnoexception.The
departureofhismotherSorayawithMr.Sengupta(astoryhater)
theirneighbouristhetriggerofthestorycausingthelossofhis
father’sstorytellinggiftandthesadnessofthecityofAlifbay.
AninterestingthingaboutthefollowingeventsafterSoraya’s
departureis,whenRashid,inafitofangerbreaksalltheclocksin
thehouse,hestopsthemat11o’clocksharp.Inhindumythology
number1isthesymbolofperfection,itidentifieswiththeultimate
godthatcreatedeverything,andnumber11standsforabsolute

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Characters:94688Words:1891321perfection.Ifwearetoconsiderthesymbolismofthenumber11and
thefactthatRashidbrokealltheclocksatthatparticularhourwe
maysaythatheinterruptedtheuniversalflowoftime,foretelling
thedistopianeventsthataretocome.
Confrontedwithhismotherdeparture,becauseofhisfather’s
lackofpragmatism,Harounquestionsthenatureandvalidityofhis
father’sstories,“What’sthepointofit?What’stheuseofstoriesthat
aren’teventrue?”(H,22),destroyingtheverycoreofhisfather
existance.Withthedepartureofhiswifeandhisson’sdoubts
regardinghisgift,Rashidisincapableoftellingstories.Sowhenhe
standsupinfrontofanaudiencetotellastorynowordscomeout.
Hiredbypoliticianstotellflatteringstoriesaboutthemsothatthey
willwintheelections,theygototheTownofG,which“isnotso
special,”(H,25)totellthestories.Butwhenhemustconvincehis
audienceofthepoliticians’qualitiesandvirtues,hecan’tfindthe
wordstotellthestory.Theonlythinghecansayis,“Ark,ark,
ark.”(H,26)TheangrypoliticiansthreatenRashid,tellinghimthatif
hedoesn’tprovideasatisfyingstorytotheValleyofKandtellstories
theywillcutouthistongue.Feelingguiltyforhisfather’sinabilityof
storytellingHarounfeelstheurgetomendthings.So,thefirstthing
hedoesistosavethemallfromdrowningwhenpassingtroughthe
MoodLand,bycontrollingtheirfeelingsintoahappystateofthings
andlateron,whenarrivedontheboat,andexchangingroomswith
hisfatherhestopsIfftheWaterGenie,fromtheOceanofthe
StreamsofStorytodisconnecthisfatherfromtheStoryWaterofthe
GreatStorySea,thesourceofallstories.Askedwhyhewantedto
disconnecthisfatherhesaidthat“thegentlemannolongerrequires
theservice;hasdiscontinuednarrativeactivities,throwninthetowel,
packeditin.”(H,57)Shockedatthethoughtthathisfatherhasshutoff

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Characters:94688Words:1891322theStoryStream,Harounasksthegeniehowheknowsthathis
fatherisquitting.Thewatergenietellshimthatthenewswassent
bya“P2C2E”(ProcessTooComplicatedToExplain)(H,57)involving
ThoughtBeams.
Eagertofixthings,andsortthemisunderstandingwithhis
father’sannulmentofthesubscriptiontotheStoryWaterofthe
GreatStory,HarounaskshowtheordercanbereversedandIfftells
himtotaketheissueupwiththeGrandComptrolleratP2C2E
House,GupCity,Kahani.AlllettersmustbeaddressedtotheWalrus.
Iffexplainsthatmanybrilliantpeople,theEggheads,areemployed
atGupCitybutthatonlytheWalrusistheGrandComptroller.The
watergenierevealstheinvisiblestorywatertaptoHarounand
Harounthenmakesthe“mostimportantdecisionofhislife.”(H,59)He
asksMr.IfftotakehimtoGupCitytoseetheComptroller.The
watergenieinitiallyrefuses,butwhenHarounthreatenstokeephis
wrench,hesoftensandtellsHarountheymustleavethatnight.With
Iff’sapprovalHarounsetoffinthejourneyofhislifetothemagic
realmofKahani,onthebackofabirdcalledaHoopoe,the“birdthat
leadsallotherbirdsthroughmanydangerousplaces.”(H,64)Theytravel
ataspeedsofast“thattheEarthbelowthemandtheskyaboveboth
dissolvedintoablur.”(H,65)LookingattheHoopoe,Harouncannot
helpbutthinkitlooksmuchlikeMr.Buttfromthemailcoach.
HearingHaroun’sthoughts,theHoopoeturnsaroundand
telepathicallyspeakstohim.Atthesametimeastonishedand
enchantedbythefantasticcreaturesandtheirabilityHaroungives
thebirdthenameofButttryingtokeepintouchwithetherealmhe
leftbehind.Asitfollows,Harounfindsoutthatthemagicrealm
theyareabouttoenteristheEarth’ssecondMoon,Kahani.

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Characters:94688Words:1891323Kahaniisonlyvisiblebecauseof“Speed”which“bringslightto
reveal”(H,67)butcanalsobeusedtoconceal.Kahanitravelssofast
thatEarth’sinstrumentscannotdetectit;themoonmovesinvarious
trajectoriestomakesurethatStoryWaterisevenlydistributed
throughouttheplanetanditisinthemiddleofthegiantseathat
ButtglidesinforalandingonKahani.Theirlandingissomehowat
luck,eventhoughtheylandedtheretofacilitatethebureaucratic
shortcut,theyfindoutthattheSeaofStoriesispoisoned.Ofcourse
theymadethisdiscoveryonlyafterHaroundrankWishwaterfrom
thesea,desiringforhisfather’sstorytellingtoreturn.Aftertakinga
sipfromtheWishwater,hefeelsagoldenglowallaroundhimand
triestowishforhisfather’sstorytellingtocomeback.Whenhedoes,
however,heonlyseesanimageofhismother.Hehearshisfather
cryingtohelphim,buthecannotfullyconcentrateonthewish.After
elevenminutes,hisconcentrationisbrokenandthegoldenglow
goesaway.
AfterthefailurewiththeWishwater,ButtdecidesthatHaroun
needsa“cheeringupprocedure.”(H,71)Theseaisfullofathousand
differentcurrents,theStreamsofStory.Theseare“allthestoriesthat
hadeverbeentoldandmanythatwerestillintheprocessofbeing
invented.”(H,72)IffdipsintotheOceanandproducesagoldencup
withastoryinside.AfterHaroundrinksthewaterhefindshimself
lookingthroughtheeyesofayoungheroinalandfullofmonsters
andstrangethings.ThereisaprincessinatowerandHaroun
watchesastheherodispenseswiththemonstersandbeginstoclimb
thetower.Harounisin“PrincesRescueStoryNumber
S/1001/ZHT/420/41(r)xi.”(H,73)Halfwayupthetower,thehero
beginstoturnintoaspiderandwhenhereachesthetop,theprinces
beginstohackawayatthehorriblecreatureuntiltheherofallstothe

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Characters:94688Words:1891324ground.Harounwakesfromthestoryandtellshisfriendsofthe
awfulending.ThatisthemomenttheyrealizethattheOceanhas
becomepollutedbytheleaderoftheLandofChup,Khattaam-Shud
“ontheDarkSideofKahani.”(H,75)
Theuseofthenarrativetechniqueofmagicrealismhelpsthe
readergetabetterperspectiveonHaroun’sfeelingsandstateof
mind.Haditnotbeenfortheuseofmagicrealism,Rushdiewould
havesaidthatHarounwantshisfathertogetbackhisstorytelling
abilityandhismothertoreturnhome.Sotherealisticversionofthe
novelwouldhavemadethereadertooverseethedeepermeaningof
thenovel.Buthavingtheactualfantasticversionofthestorywe
realisethatHarounwouldgotroughfireandicetogethisfather’s
storytellinggiftbackwhilestillthinkingabouthismother,evenin
themostcriticalmomentsofhisjourney,denotingamutualcarefor
hisparents.

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Characters:94688Words:18913254.Intertextualityin“LukaandtheFireofLife”
Rushdie’s“HarounandtheSeaofStories“and“Lukaandthe
FireofLife”arerichinintertextualitybutinLukaismorethan
visible.If“HarounandtheSeaofStories”islinkedto”The
ThousandandOneNights”throughitsonomasticevocationsofthe
CaliphHaroun-al-Rashid;“LukaandtheFireofLife”embodies
countlessmythologiesandunendingliterarytexts,bothadults’and
children’s.
IfHaroun’smissionwastosavetheintegrityoftheSeaof
Storiesandandhelphisfathergethisstorytellinggiftback,Luka
hastostealtheFireofLifeinordertosavehiscomatosefather.The
theftoftheFireofLifeisconsciouslylinkedtoPrometheus,the
greekdemigodthatstolefirefromthegodsandtheamericanmyth
oftheCoyote.ThecharacterNobodaddy,amagic-worldsimulacrum
ofLuka’scomatoseprogenitor,takeshisnamefromWilliamBlake,
asRushdiehimselfadmitsinoneofhisinterviews.Agreatvarietyof
charactersfromotherstoriesappearinLukalikeAladdin(L,47)and
Sinbad(L,147)fromTheThousandandOneNights,charactersof
LewisCarroll,J.R.R.TolkienandC.S.Lewiswritingsappear
undisguisedinadirectreferencebyLukato“otherMagicWorlds
dreamedupbyotherpeople,WonderlandsandNarniasandMiddle-
earths”(L,180).Rushdie’spreviouswritingsarealsopresentinthe
book,aswhenthelegendaryMountainofQâf(whichfeatured
inGrimusasCalfMountain)reappears(L,31),orwhenLuka,like
OrmusCama,feels“thegroundbeneathhisfeet…beginto
shake”(L,167);andiftheflyingcarpetwhichbearstheboyandhis
companionsaloftissaidtohavebelongedtoKingSolomon(L,92).

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Characters:94688Words:1891326Luka’sparallelMagicWorldembodiesthemesandpassagesof
J.K.Rowlingparallelworlds:adragoncalledNuthog,anaerialfight
resemblingaQuidditchgame,”fat,blind,whitishWorms”(L,60)
recallingRowling’sFlobberworms,“hoodedfigureswithinvisible
faces”(L,197)whichlooklikedoublesofherDementors,andaplant
calledSlackerweed“Thisrapidlyspreadingweed,previouslyunknownin
theMagicWorld,had…chokedanddestroyedallotherplantlife”(L,163),
whichseemsoutofthesamegardenasPotterland’sWhomping
Willow.
Luka’sintertextualityisatitsmostexcessiveinthepassages
wheretheheroisaidedbyavariedassemblyof“ex-gods”(L,135),an
agglomerationoffiguresfromthepantheonsoftheworld’s
abandonedpolytheisms“thegodsinwhomnobodybelievedinany
longer,exceptasstoriesthatpeopleoncelikedtotell”(L,127).Theseare
godsandgoddessesfromanencyclopaediccollectionoftraditions
includingtheGreco-Roman,Egyptian,Sumerian,Norse,Celtic,
Chinese,Japanese,Aztec,Inca,Maya,Caribbean,African,
PolynesianandNativeAmerican–savingastrayrakshasaescaped
fromtheRamayana(L,201),excludinganydivinitiesordemigods
fromtheworld’smajorsurvivingpolytheism,namelytheHinduism.
InChristopherRollason’sopinion,Rushdie’sresorttopolytheism
asaplotelementmay,indeed,pointtoamajorproblemwiththisbook.
Thereisasleight-of-handgoingonatrepeatedmomentsinLukawhere
Rushdie–ratherlesssubtlythaninHaroun,whichhadtheimmediate
weightofthestill-recentfatwatojustifysuchtactics–appearstobeusing
theapparentlyinnocentchildren’sbookformattosmuggleinissuesof
belieffromtheadultworldwhich–whetheroneagreeswithhispositions
ornot–mightarguablybemoreappropriatelyraisedinessayor
journalisticmode.(C.R,Anunsurprisingworldofmagic)

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Characters:94688Words:1891327AlargepartofLukaconcernstheconflictbetweenRatsand
Otters,theRatscheeringfromsomewherecalledtheRespectorateof
IandtheOttersfromtherivalterritoryofOTT(OverTheTop).The
RatsandtheirRespectorateallegorisethepoliticalmindsetof
Rushdie’sdetractorsoverTheSatanicVerses.Attheborderofthe
Respectorate,asignboardwarns:“YOUAREATTHEFRONTIEROF
THERESPECTORATEOFI.MINDYOURMANNERS”(L,69);the‘I’,it
isexplained,standsfor‘I-dentity’,and“manyofitspresentoccupants
takeOffenceverysharplyindeed”(L,70).Bycontrast,theliberal-
minded,anarchicOtters,ledbytheirqueen,the‘Insult-ana’,
represent“over-the-topexcessperceivedasapositivevalue”(L,77).The
Ottersdefeat,indeedeliminatetheRats,reorderingtheMagicWorld.
AccordingtoChristopherRollason,…theexcessiveswarmof
‘BadlyBehavedGods’mayultimatelybetherenotsimplytorepresent
polytheism,orevenpolytheismincontrasttothethreegreat
monotheisms(noneofwhichhasgiventhepost-SatanicVersesRushdie
aneasyride)–but,behindthat,ideologicalpluralismasopposedto
monolithicbelief-systems.EventheapparentlyinnocentdetailofLuka
takingtheleft-handpathuptheMountainofKnowledge…couldberead
asstandinginforRushdiehimselfmakingapoliticalstatement,affirming
thatdespitethosewhonowbrandhimaneo-con,heremainsandas
alwaysamanoftheleft.Ingeniousallthismaybe,butitisanopen
questionwhetherthiskindofschematicallegorisationmakesforgood
literarywriting,stilllessagoodchildren’sbook.(C.R,Anunsurprising
worldofmagic)
WhetherLukaisorisn’taworthysuccessorofHaroun,it’sup
tothereaderstodecide.Someofthisbook’sreaders,mayconclude
thatitsmagicindeedcontainsfewsurprisesthankstoanexcessive
intertextualityandthat,isneitherentirelyachildren’snoranadult’s

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Characters:94688Words:1891328book,nonethelessasLukasucceedsinstealingtheFireofLife,as
doesSalmanRushdieinstealingtheheartsofhisreaders,youngor
old.

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Characters:94688Words:18913295.Theartofstorytellingin“LukaandtheFireof
Life”and“HarounandtheSeaofStories”
5.1Storytellingin“LukaandtheFireofLife”
ThemotifofstorytellingispresentinbothRushdiechildren’s
books“LukaandtheFireofLife”and“HarounandtheSeaof
Stories”,morethanthatistheprimarythemeofthetwo
books.EvenifLukaisachildren’sbook,doesn’tavoidserious
issues.IntheessayonTheWizardofOzRushdierevealshis
personalexperienceofthemeaningofhome“notthat‘there’sno
placelikehome,’butratherthatthereisnolongeranysuchplaceashome:
except,ofcourse,forthehomeswemake,orthehomesthataremadefor
us.”(S.R,TheWizardofOz)
Thetropeisonethatrunsthroughallofhiswork,andis
hauntinglypresentinLuka.“LukaandtheFireofLife”tellsthe
storyofayoungboy,alittleunusualperhaps,whofindshisstrength
andhisplaceintheworld,aswellasafatherwhorediscovershis
ownlifeathomewithhisfamily.Rushdie’sownlifeandfamily
reflectsthemselvesinLukaandhisolderbrotherHaroun.Inhis
NPRinterview,Rushdiespokeabouttheconnectionsbetweenthe
novelandhisownrelationshipwithhissonMilan:
Ithinkallboys,especially12,13-year-oldboys,essentiallybelieve
thattheirfatherisuseless,youknow,andneedsrescuingallthe
time.Andsothestoryabout—whichisaboutaboyhavingto
rescuehisfather,isbasedinthatkindofpsychologicalreality,you
know,butit’s—it’salsothecasethatyes,weare,youknow,older—
thesubjectofage—whenyou’re50yearsolderthanyourson,the
subjectofageisalwaysinyourmind,certainlyinmine…youwant
tofeelthatyourchildwillhaveafatherwhenheneedsafather
whilehe’sgrowingupandwhenthere’sa50-yearagegap,the
possibilitythatthatmightnotbethecaseisthere…Sothat’sthe
seriousengineattheheartof.Imean,Ithinkthebookiskindoffun,

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Characters:94688Words:1891330buttheseriousthingatitsheartisthisquestionoflifeanddeath.
Youknow,theexistentialquestion,willyoulivetoseeyourchild
growup?AndwhenRashidfallsintothiscoma-likesleep,it
becomesthechild’sdutytotryandsavehislife…
Rushdie’senterstheworldofvideogamestocreateastronger
connectionwithhisson,butinthesametimetoteachhimthe
importanceofstoriesandstorytelling.Becausewithoutstoriesand
storytellingalotofancientgodsandmythologicalfigureswould
disappearintothinair.HehelpsLukatotakeoffinthejourneyof
hislife,ajourneyofinitiationinthesecretsofstorytelling.Lukais
atoncehisfather’sapprentice,andinatotallydifferentworld.Itis
Rushdie’sattempttoblendthetwoworldsthatmakesLukaa
delightfulbook.

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Characters:94688Words:18913315.2Storytellingin“HarounandtheSeaofStories”
“HarounandtheSeaofStories”‘sprevalentthemesofthe
positiveeffectsofstorytellingandcommunicationmakeRushdie’s
beliefsaboutthenecessityoffreespeechobvious,butthewaysin
whichthestorypromotesthesebeliefsismoresubtleandoperates
onmultiplelevels,usingwordplayandpuns,referencestoother
storiesfrombothIndianandWesterncultures,andheavy
symbolism.Bydescribingapartoftheworld,anauthororartist
representsit,evokingthemeaningandcharacterofthatpartofthe
worldthroughthelensoftheirowninterpretation.Authorsarealso
inspiredbythetextsandgenresthattheyhaveread,imitatingthe
formofthesestylesandbuildingtheirnewstorieswithinthe
frameworkofeverythingthathascomebeforethem.Thewaythat
storiesandotherformsofartrepresenttheworldisnotanewidea,
andinhisrepresentationoftropesfromclassicstoriesthroughthe
referencesandallusionsthatheuses,Rushdieoffersaninteresting
twistnotonlyonthesetropesbutalsoontheideaofrepresentation
andoriginalityingeneral.
WhatRushdiedoesinthenovelwithclassictextssuchasAlice’s
AdventuresinWonderlandandArabianNights,RashidKhalifaalso
doeswiththestorieshehasheardandtheexperiencesthathehas
hadinthenovel.ThisisjustoneofthewaysthatHarounandthe
SeaofStoriescontainsmultiplelevelsofmeaning,andcanbeseen
withinthecentralmetaphorof“TheSeaofStories”thatthenovel
uses,whichismadeupof“theStreamsofStory…eachcolouredstrand
representedandcontainedasingletale…allthestoriesthathadeverbeen
toldandmanythatwereintheprocessofbeinginventedcouldbefound
here”(H,72).TheSeaofStoriesisconstantlychangingaspartsof
storiesarerecombinedandrepurposedwithinnewtales,justas
Rushdiechildren’snoveldoeswiththemanyworksandtropesthat
itreferences.MuchofHarouncriticalreceptionemphasizesthe
partsofthenovelthatremindreadersofotherclassicliteraryworks,

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Characters:94688Words:1891332showingthedistinctimpressionoftheinterconnectionofstoriesthat
Rushdieachievedwithhisnovel.Aspresentedintheprevious
chapters,Harounhasseveralsimilaritieswithotherchildren’s
booksandsomeofthemarepresentinthestorytroughthemeansof
intertextuality.
InTheimportanceandinfluenceofstoriesLaurenFauxargues:
ThemostcommoncomparisonwasbetweenHarounandAlice’s
AdventuresinWonderland,closelyfollowedbyArabianNightsandThe
WizardofOz,withmanyotherworksthatsimilarlyfallintothegenresof
fantasyormagicalrealism,alongwithchildren’sliterature.These
comparisonsareevidentwithinthenovelboththroughitsgeneralstyle
andtropes,andthroughthemanymorepointedreferencesandhomages
tootherworksthatappearinHaroun.Forexample,thetropeofachild
beingtransportedtoafantasticallandwithstrangecreaturesandhelping
tosolvetheproblemsoftheirsocietycanbeseencommonlyinmany
children’sstoriessuchasAlice’sAdventuresinWonderland,TheWizard
ofOz,andThePhantomTollbooth.Theconceptofaframestory,ora
storythatistoldwithinanotherstory,alsoappearsinalloftheseworks
alongwithArabianNights,afamouscollectionofIndian,Arabic,and
Persiantales.ReferencestoArabianNightsaboundinHaroun,fromthe
themethattellingstoriesisawaytobringmeaningtotheworld,tothe
moredirectreferenceslikeHarounandRashid’snames,whichcomefrom
thenameofoneofthecharactersofmanyArabianNightstales,andthe
useofthenumber1001,whichisthesameasthenumberofstoriesand
nightsinArabianNights.Harounalsoreferstoclassicalworksof
literaturethathaveelementsofmythandfantasy,suchastheGreek
mythologicalstoryofJasonandtheArgonauts,andSamuelTaylor
Coleridge’spoemKublaKhanwhichdescribesafantasticalvisionofthe
wildcityofXanadu.Rushdiementionsthisinhisepigraph,saying,
“…Xanadu:Allourdream-worldsmaycometrue”(Rushdie11),alluding
tothethemeoffantasybecomingrealityinHaroun.Ahugenumberof
referencessuchasthesecanbefoundinHarounandtheSeaofStories,
whichmakesthereaders’comparisonsbetweenthisnovelandother
storiesseemlogicalandemphasizesRushdie’sintentions,becausehis
heavyuseofreferencesandallusionscontributestohisgoalofshowing

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Characters:94688Words:1891333howdeeplyinfluentialclassicstoriesaretoreadersandauthors,andhow
storiesareallderivativeofeachother.(L.F,Theimportanceand
influenceofstories)
Thescholarlyarticlesrepresenttheperspectivesofreadersfrom
academicbackgroundswhowouldhavereadthenovelwith
contextualknowledgeandunderstandingofbothitsWesternand
Indianinfluences,andunsurprisinglythesepraisedallofthepartsof
thenovel.Thescholarlyreviewsplacethenovelwithinthecontextof
itswriting,whichisakeypartofthenovel’soutermostlayerof
meaning,asMiniChandranexplainsinherarticle,“Haroun…was
alsoametaphoricalstatementoftheultimatetriumphofthewriterover
forcesthatsoughttosilencehim”.(M.C,FabulationandNarrativein
HarounandtheSeaofStories,2)
Asatextthatreliessoheavilyonreferencesandotherstories,
knowledgeofthenovel’splaceintheworldofliteraturemakesit
moreenjoyableandallowsreadersaccesstomoreofitscomplexities
thatmaybeotherwiseoverlooked.ChristianeBongartzandEsther
GilmanRicheyalsodescribethisaspectofHaroun’sconstruction,
“Haroun,clearly,isanexampleofthecreativeuseoflanguage.
Butinaddition,itisalsoapleaforfreedomofthoughtand
expression,astoryinwhichthepowersoflanguagedefeattheevil
ofbeingsilenced.Rushdiecontendsthatgeneratingwell-formed,
unpollutedstoriesisthecoreofarich,nonsilenced,trulyhuman
existence.Hehasadoptedastoryformatforhiscontentionthatwe
couldsummarizeasamoral.
Harounthusimplementslinguisticcreativityforthebenefitof
anoverallmessagedefininghumanityintermsoffreedomfrom
censorshipandthoughtcontrol.Rushdieportraysthecentralrole
oflanguagequitedirectlyinoppositiontosilence,buthealsodoes
soindirectly,bywayofwhatmightbetermedlinguisticinitiation.
Theplayfuluseoflanguagethroughoutthebookoftenrequiresa
context-dependentreading.WhereelsedoweencounterHoopoes
namesButt?Toyingwithmeaningandchallengingtypicalreader
expectations,Rushdieguidesourinsightintoambiguity,a

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Characters:94688Words:1891334propertyofhumanlanguagethatChomskyhasdiscussed
extensivelyinhistheoryoflanguageacquisition.Explicitawareness
ofthispropertyallowsastorytellertoplaywiththeconstraintsof
ordinarylanguage”.(C.B&E.G.R,LinguisticandLiteraryPlayin
SalmanRushdie’sHarounandtheSeaofStories,457)
HarounandtheSeaofStoriesurgesitsreaderstodrawparallels
onmanylevels:betweenHarounandRashid’sadventuresonthe
moonandtheirexperiencesonEarth;betweenthepeopleonEarth
inthenovelandthereadersonEarththemselves;betweenthenovel
andtheotherstoriesthatitdrawsfrom;andbetweenRashid’s
politicalpredicamentandRushdie’sownsimilarone.Throughthis
multifacetedapproachtostorytelling,Rushdieisabletoemphasize
hismessageoverandoveragain,aseachlayerofthestoryultimately
supportsthesamebelief.Whatisthepurposeofstoriesthataren’t
eventrue?Theimportantlessonthatwealllearnfrom”Harounand
theSeaofStories”isthatstoriesareakeypartofculture,andthat
theyinfluenceandareinfluencedbyeachothertocreatetraditions
thataremorepowerfulthananysourceofsilence,corruption,or
oppressionintheworld.

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Characters:94688Words:18913356.TheShadingofRealitiesthroughvideogames
in“LukaandtheFireofLife”
Theconvergenceofseveralrealitiesisarecurrenttropein
Rushdie’snovels.Thetropeoftenexploresfalselymaintained
boundariesbetweenthetworealities.Rushdiejuxtaposesavideo
gameworldandtherealworldinordertoexplorethebenefitsof
playandthedangersofrealizingthecloselinkbetweentheactivities
ofaworldofplay(theWorldofMagic)andaworldofseriousness
(Alifbay).
Thelinkbetweengamingtheoryandthescholarshipon
Rushdie’sworksisthatbothacknowledgetheimportanceofother
worldsandwhattheinterplayofthoseworldsindicates.
InbothgamesandRushdie’snovels,otherworldsreadilytransgress
intoreality.Thetransgressioncausesconfusionbecauseorderappears
unstable.Theusualattributesofeachworldalsobecomecomplicated:
gamesareseriousmatters,andseriousmattersaregames.Iswhatwecall
todayvirtualreality.Thishappensbecausebothnovelsandgamesinvolve
participantsasplayersintheevents.Greaterdangersresideinthefailure
torecognizethatthetwoworldsareunifiedratherthandiscrete.(M.B.W,
Neverjustagame)
Themainideeathatresidesinthefollowingtextistheshadingof
boundaries.Thelinebetweenrealandimaginedhasacomplex
relationshipinthenovel,asLukaseemstoneedtheworldstobe
separateyetherecognizesthattheyarenot.Themagiccirclealso
contributestotheideaofliminality.Inordertobebetweenstates,a
thresholdmustexist,andthatwouldbethemagiccirclethat
establishestheexistenceofthethreshold.
Playisitselfanindeterminateactivitybecauseitcouldhaveaserious
tone,yetitmightalsobelessfreelyconductedandthereforeseriousin
thesenseofurgentornecessary.(I.B,TheRhetoricofVideoGames).
TheseconceptssuggestRushdieisnavigatinggamestodevelop
conceptsthatheexploredinpreviousnovels,andistestingtheeffect

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Characters:94688Words:1891336ofanemergingtrope,thevideogame,inatraditionalform,the
novel.Lukaattemptstoreconciletheseelementsofplay,boundaries,
andoscillationbetweenstatesintoaharmonizingbetween
seeminglyirreconcilablepositionsofwhatagameindicatesabout
thosewhoplay.
SalmanRushdiehasnotedthefusionofreaderandwriterinthe
text.Ashenotesin“IsNothingSacred,”“Thereaderandwritermerge
troughthemediumofthetexttobecomeacollectivebeing”(Imaginary
Homelands,426).Bothreaderandplayerfindtheirinteraction
waveringbetweentwoworlds.However,withLukaandtheFireof
Life,RushdiehascreatedLuka,whoiscapableofnotjustfusing
withhisgameworldbutalsoalteringitandweavinghislifein
AlifbayintotheWorldofMagic.Inthisway,Lukaisapowerful
characterwieldingboththeplayofwordsandtheplayofgames.
Consequently,Lukacombinesseveraltypesofinterplaythatplace
thenovelatthethresholdbetweenseveralforms:astoryandagame;
wordsandactions.Theliminalityofthenovelcreatestheportalthat
permitsthereadertoengagewiththetextandplayaswell.However,
Rushdiealsoseemstoadvocatetheimportanceofmaintainingthe
magiccirclethatseparatestheworldofplayandtherealworld.The
magiccirclepermitsthetypesofexperimentationthatanovel
undergoesasreaderandwriterinteract.Withoutthemagiccircle,
theinterplaydoesnothappen.
Inseveralaudiointerviews,SalmanRushdierelatesonepieceof
advicethathissonMilanofferedduringthewritingofLukaandthe
FireofLife:makethenovelserialized(Kay).Storiesshouldappear
inshortseriessothereadercouldcontemplatethematerialin
manageableamounts.Unfortunately,thepublishersdidnotallowa
serialization;fortunately,Rushdiechoseinsteadtoincorporate
levelssimilartoavideogametoemulateserialization.Videogame
architecturehasarichnessofformthatrivalsmanyothermediums,
soRushdieisabletoreturnreaderstoAlifbayanditsparallelthe
WorldofMagic,butdepictstheparallelworldinamuchdifferent

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Characters:94688Words:1891337mannerthaninHarounandtheSeaofStories.InLukaasin
Haroun,twomajortropesaretherelationshipbetweenafatherand
son,andthequestofthesontorescuehisfather,whichforces
Luka’sparticipation.However,unlikehisbrotherHaroun,when
Lukaqueststorescuehisfather,heenterstheWorldofMagicasa
characterinavideogame.Theideaofagameworldasaspacefor
playquicklybecomescompromisedasLukarealizesthathemust
playthegameinordertosavehisfather’slife.Throughthecharacter
ofNobodaddy,Rushdieprovidesapersistentlinkbetweenthereal
worldandtheworldofthegametherebyconflatingtheboundaries
betweenplayinginagameandplayinginreality.
GamesareimportantandearlyinthenovelRushdiemakessure
weunderstandthat,andalsopresentstwoperceptionsofvideo
games.Lukaenthusiasticallyplaysvideogames,andhisenthusiasm
producestwodistinctresponsesfromhisparents.Hismother
representsthepositionthatvideogamesareuselessbecausethey
bothdistractLukafromschoolworkandhavenobearingonthereal
world.“Intherealworldtherearenolevels,onlydifficulties.Ifhemakes
acarelessmistakeinthegamehegetsanotherchance.Ifhemakesa
carelessmistakeinachemistrytesthegetsaminusmark.Lifeistougher
thanvideogames”(L,15).Forher,gamesaremindlessinstancesof
progressions–levels–thathavenoplaceintherealworld.This
positionassumeslifeisnotfordallyingwithcertainactivities
becauselifeisfinite–unlikethevirtualworldwhere“youcouldstore
upasmanylivesasyourskillandgoodfortunecouldgetyou”(L,14).
RashidcountersSoraya’sargumentwithhiswittyversionofvideo
gameplaying.“Butseehowwellheisdevelopinghishand-eye
coordination,andheissolvingproblems,too,answeringriddles,
surmountingobstacles,risingthroughlevelsofdifficultytoacquire
extraordinaryskills”(L,15).Rashidnotesthat“[Luka]livedinanagein
whichanalmostinfinitenumberofparallelrealitieshadbeguntobesold
astoys”(L,13).Thegameworldsseemlikeuniversesplantedinto
reality,butwiththeattributionbyRashidthattheserealitiesaretoys,

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Characters:94688Words:1891338theyassumeaplaceintheworldofplayandchildhood.Ineffect,
RushdiehasRashidestablishvideogamesasadomainseparated
fromrealityinthesenseofHuizinga’smagiccircledemarcating
whereseriousactivitiesoccurandwherealternateaswellasnon-
seriousactivitiesoccur.Lukaisaparticipantincrossingthe
boundarybetweenrealitiesbyusinghisgamingdevices.However,
Harounisawareofadifferentriskinvolvedwithcrossing
boundariesandbeingaparticipantinagame.Harounnotesthe
inherentrisksofparticipatoryculturenotingLukainvokesastrong
powerthroughacurse.“Butbecareful.Cursingisadangerouspower.I
wasneverabletodoanythingso,well,dark”(L,8).Harounrecognizes
thatLukaisanexpansivecharacteranddoesnotadheretothe
limitationsofprogression.Theeventsarenotpredeterminedand
mechanisticbutadevelopingprocess.Lukahasinputintheoutcome,
ashiscurseproves,andthereforecanplaywithreality–butthe
consequencesofhisplayareimminentasthecursestartsthequest.
CaptainAaghashisvulturedeliveramelodramaticresponseto
Luka’scurse:“Dreadfulblacktonguedchild[…]Throwoutacursewhen
youcan’tcontrolit,[…]itwillcomebacktosmackyouintheface”(L,22).
Thepowerofwordshasbecomeevident.Thecurseresultsin
“[Luka’sword]poleaxessomeone[he]loves”(L,22).Lukahastappedan
immense,personalpowerandunwittinglystartedhisowngreat
adventure.Anutterancebranchesintoasequenceofenactments:
theslumberbegins,NobodaddyrupturestheFrontiertoclaim
Rashid.Intheprocess,hehasalsostartedtoblurthedistinction
betweentheplayworldandtherealworld.ThestartofLuka’squest
representsthestartofhisadventure,andhisparents’positions
becomemootbecauseneitherofthemidentifiesthepossibilityof
gamesasanexperimentalspace.Lukawillexperienceastoryofhis
derivedfromhischoices.
Huizingareferstothisasthemethecticelementofgameworlds.
Unlikemimeticcultureformswhichseektoemulateexistence,methectic
cultureformsseektopurposefullyseparateparticipantsfromthereal

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Characters:94688Words:1891339worldthroughimmersionintoanexperimentalspaceconfinedbyrules.
Theideaisagameshouldbeadistinctspacewheretheplayersarefree
fromtheconstraintsoftherealworld.(H.J,HomoLudens:aStudyofthe
Play-elementinCulture).
IntheendRushdiereconcilestheworldofgameswiththereal
world,byLuka’striumphinstealingthefireoflifeandrevivalofhis
comatosefather.AsRushdiestates:“Sometimeslegendsmake
reality,andbecomemoreusefulthanthefacts.”

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Characters:94688Words:18913407.HermeneuticsandHarounandtheSeaof
Stories
Hermeneuticsisthescienceofinterpretingwhatanauthorhas
written.InChristiantheology,hermeneuticsfocusesspecificallyon
constructinganddiscoveringtheappropriaterulesforinterpreting
theBible.Thesemethodsandprinciples,however,areoftendrawn
fromoutsideofscriptureinhistorical,literaryorotherfields.It
inevitablyinvolvesexegesis,whichistheactofinterpretingor
explainingthemeaningofscripture.Thegoalinapplyingthe
principlesofhermeneuticsisto“rightlyhandlethewordoftruth”(2
Tim.2:15),strivingtoaccuratelydiscernthemeaningofthetext.
Eventhoughhermeneuticsisafieldmainlyusedintheology,
literaturemayhaveitsshare,becauseanyliterarytextistheobject
ofscholarcriticismandinterpretation.Ifyouwanttoteachsomeone
biblicalhermeneuticsandinterpretationoftheoriginsofthe
gospels,youmayaswellstartwithanon-canonicalliterarytextlike
HarounandtheSeaofStories.Harounisagreatnovelthatisrich
insymbols,allegoriesandIdaretosayevenbiblicalreferences.The
novelitselfisanallegoryofRushdie’slife.Heplaceshimselfinthe
roleofRashid,abrilliantstoryteller,thatenchantstheaudience
withhiswordsandwisdom,butinaturnofluckhelooseshisgift,
andworseissentencedtoeternalsilencebyatyrant,Khattamm-
Shudthatdeclaredwartostorytellingandstories.Asdid
AyatollahRuhollahKhomeiniinreallifewithRushdie’sdeath
sentence,duetooneofhisnovels.Asamanoflettershe
understandstheimportanceofthefreedomofspeechandheis
awarethatthelackofitequalsthedeathofidentityandthatofthe
individual.ThatiswhyinHarounwehaveawholeoceanofstreams
ofstory,anunendingsourceofknowledgetoeveryone’sdisposal,a
rawsourceofculturalenrichment.TheOceanofSeaofStories
resemblesverymuchtotheprimordialwaterthatcoveredthewhole

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Characters:94688Words:1891341worldbeforeGodcreatedtheEarthtroughthepoweroftheword,
TheSpiritofGodwashoveringoverthefaceofthewater.(Genesis1:1-31).
Butwordsarealsodangerousbecausetheyhavepower,the
powertocreatestories,toshapepersonalitiesanddesignidentities,
andtherightwordssaidbywrongpeoplemayleadtomasscontrol,
andthatisanawfulperspective.
'Theworld,however,isnotforFun,'Khattam-Shudreplied.'The
worldisforControlling.'
'Whichworld?'Harounmadehimselfask.'Yourworld,myworld,all
worlds,'camethereply.'TheyarealltheretobeRuled.Andinside
every,singlestory,insideeveryStreamintheOcean,thereliesa
world,astoryworld,thatIcannotRuleatall.Andthatisthereason
why.'(H,161)
Rushdiealsooperatesanallegoricalcriticismofthepolitical
forcesthatworktosilencetheartist'svoiceintheworld.Thefact
thatRashidwasusedbythoseinthepositionofpowertodistractthe
bodypoliticisanotherallegoricalconnectiontohowRushdieviews
therelationshipbetweenartandgovernment.Throughhisdepiction
oftheartistinthestory,Rushdiemakesaclearstatementabouthow
thevoiceoftheartistshouldandmustoperateoutsideoftherealm
ofthepoliticalinordertoremaintruetotheircreationandtheir
owngift.
Rashidwentoutontothestageinfrontofthatvastjungleofa
crowd,andHarounwatchedhimfromthewings—andthepoor
storytelleropenedhismouth,andthecrowdsquealedin
excitement—andnowRashidKhalifa,standingtherewithhismouth
hangingopen,foundthatitwasasemptyashisheart.
'Ark.'Thatwasallthatcameout.TheShahofBlahsoundedlikea
stupidcrow.'Ark,ark,ark.'(H,26)
Aswecantell,nowritersareentirelyautonomous,andno
writerstelltheirstoriesindependentofothertexts.Ashistitle
suggests,Rushdiepicturesstoriesasthewatersinahugeocean,

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Characters:94688Words:1891342minglingtogether,joiningupwithotherstoriestobecome“new
versionsofthemselves”(H,72).
WiththisaspectinmindwemayassumethatGospelswere
writtenbasedoneyewitnessaccountsandpossiblyfirst-hand
experiences.Wemustn’ttaketheapostolsasmerescribeswriting
whatisbeingdictatedtothem,butalsoasstorytellerswritingtheir
ownperspectiveonthebiblicalevents.
Toprovetheintertextualcomplexitiesofallbiblicalwritingswe
couldmakeuseoftheOceanofStreamofStories,thatwaves
unlimitedstories.
“madeupofathousandthousandthousandandonedifferent
currents,eachoneadifferentcolour,weavinginandoutofone
anotherlikealiquidtapestryofbreathtakingcomplexity.”These
currentsarestories,eachcoloredstrandasingletale.Indeed,this
oceancontains“allthestoriesthathadeverbeentoldandmany
thatwerestillintheprocessofbeinginvented.”Thisoceanof
storiesis“infactthebiggestlibraryintheuniverse.”Currentsand
streamsarefluid,sothese“streamsofstory”havetheabilityto
changeandbecomenewversionsofthemselvesastheyminglewith
others(H,72).
HarounandtheSeaofStoriesisitselfaseaofcrisscrossing
currents,atalelitteredwithclearallusionstopopularculture,
contemporarypolitics,andotherliterature,andthisreinforcesthe
conceptofinfluenceRushdieputsforward.Thediversewritersofthe
Biblearestorytellers,andmuchoftheworkofbiblicalscholars
involvestracingwaysthesystems,codes,culture,andotherart
formsshapethefinalformsofthetext.Butonemustbecareful
becausethereisalonghistoryofreadingthesacredwritingsas
warrantforabuse:examplesaboundofpreachersandteachers
justifyingsuchquestionablepracticesasimperialism,slavery,
genderinequityandthevilificationofwomen,violenceagainst
dissidents,indifferencetotheenvironmentandsoonandsoforth.

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Characters:94688Words:1891343WhenteachingHermeneutics,HarounandtheSeaofStoriesis
agreatteachingaidprovidingusthemeansoftracingtheway
systems,codes,culture,andotherartformsshapethefinalformsof
thetext.

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Characters:94688Words:1891344Conclusions

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Characters:94688Words:1891345Listofacronyms
H=Rushdie,Salman.HarounandtheSeaofStories.Delhi:
Penguin,1990.Secondpaperbackedition1996.Print.
Haroun=Rushdie,Salman.HarounandtheSeaofStories.
Delhi:Penguin,1990.Secondpaperbackedition1996.Print.
L=Rushdie,Salman.LukaandtheFireofLife.NewYork:
RandomHouse,2010.Print.
Luka=Rushdie,Salman.HarounandtheSeaofStories.Delhi:
Penguin,1990.Secondpaperbackedition1996.

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