An Adaptation
John Laroche, the main character of Adaptation, a screenplay by Charles Kaufman says, “You know why I love plants? Because they are so mutable, so adaptable. Adaptation is such a profound process. Adaptation means you figure out how to survive in the world. People aren't too good at that sometimes”. People don't like change. I don't like change. I hate the kindle. I hate the idea that someday paper books will cease to exist. Why? Because they are familiar and comfortable. I love the idea that I can hold an escape in my hands. I anticipate the musty smell as I turn the page. I enjoy the feeling of the paper against my fingertips, giving me something to hold onto when my world seems to be falling apart. How can I get that same comforting feeling from a cold, impersonal piece of plastic? But just because I don't want the world to change doesn't mean it isn't. I can't stop it, so I must adapt with it, not matter how hard this might seem.
In today's age, there are a million forms of stories: books, magazines, movies, television programs, blogs, web, and probably ten other mediums that I have never even heard of yet. I had always been a purist to print. I wanted to write a novel, not a blog. Creating a podcast seemed almost like heresy. I have learned; however, no matter how uncomfortable it might be, learning to use new technologies is an important skill.
When I was first assigned the remediation project, I was excited. Taking my literary analysis and transforming it to a new type of writing was a thrilling prospect. It was a challenge but a relatively safe one. There were some bumps along the way. Change of any kind is never easy, but this was a rather simple transition. When the second part of the project was assigned— translating this new piece into a new medium—I felt myself panic. I didn’t know how to use technology. I didn't want to know how to use technology. Abandoning writing felt like treason. Trying to figure out how to use a new technology was terrifying. This process was difficult for me, but when I finally finished, I had a project I was truly proud of. Deep down, I know my podcast was better than my literary review. Expanding my horizons and working in a new form improved my ideas. I had to adapt, both my piece and myself, to reach the height of my potential.
Technology is still not always comfortable for me. It is still change, but I realize that it is necessary change. This year, Borders books went out of business, at least in part because of the eReader.. The eReader offers benefits to the traditional form of books: this new technology is more environmentally friendly and reduces clutter. It is more competitive to movie and television that the old-fashioned form of the novel. In order to survive, things must adapt or else perish like, Borders. If I want to become a writer, I need to open my mind. I may not publish a book, but instead, my story might go straight on to the kindle or internet. Technology may be scary to me but being pushed out of my comfort zone is not always a bad thing. Adaptation occurs for a reason, it picks the strongest genes, pushing the species forward. This is what my experience with technology has done for me. I have learned I must adapt to the changing world around me if I want to succeed in the competitive field of writing. By being forced to change my medium, I have grown not only as a writer, but as a person.
In today's age, there are a million forms of stories: books, magazines, movies, television programs, blogs, web, and probably ten other mediums that I have never even heard of yet. I had always been a purist to print. I wanted to write a novel, not a blog. Creating a podcast seemed almost like heresy. I have learned; however, no matter how uncomfortable it might be, learning to use new technologies is an important skill.
When I was first assigned the remediation project, I was excited. Taking my literary analysis and transforming it to a new type of writing was a thrilling prospect. It was a challenge but a relatively safe one. There were some bumps along the way. Change of any kind is never easy, but this was a rather simple transition. When the second part of the project was assigned— translating this new piece into a new medium—I felt myself panic. I didn’t know how to use technology. I didn't want to know how to use technology. Abandoning writing felt like treason. Trying to figure out how to use a new technology was terrifying. This process was difficult for me, but when I finally finished, I had a project I was truly proud of. Deep down, I know my podcast was better than my literary review. Expanding my horizons and working in a new form improved my ideas. I had to adapt, both my piece and myself, to reach the height of my potential.
Technology is still not always comfortable for me. It is still change, but I realize that it is necessary change. This year, Borders books went out of business, at least in part because of the eReader.. The eReader offers benefits to the traditional form of books: this new technology is more environmentally friendly and reduces clutter. It is more competitive to movie and television that the old-fashioned form of the novel. In order to survive, things must adapt or else perish like, Borders. If I want to become a writer, I need to open my mind. I may not publish a book, but instead, my story might go straight on to the kindle or internet. Technology may be scary to me but being pushed out of my comfort zone is not always a bad thing. Adaptation occurs for a reason, it picks the strongest genes, pushing the species forward. This is what my experience with technology has done for me. I have learned I must adapt to the changing world around me if I want to succeed in the competitive field of writing. By being forced to change my medium, I have grown not only as a writer, but as a person.
Birth
This project began as a literary analysis on Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carrol and Haroun and the Sea of Stories by Salman Rushdie.
In the Eyes of a Child
This summer while I was home over break, I was a nanny for four children. Their mother was a pediatrician, and their father was an OBGYN. I watched every week as the mother ran herself ragged trying to balance her children and her job. Even though both parents worked, she seemed to have to do it all on her own. She paid me to babysit even when her husband was home because he always seemed to have something better to do. It would frustrate and disappoint me on a daily basis that the father would spend very little time with his children; however, I never felt like I had the right to say anything. In the back of my mind, society had conditioned me to believe that it was the mother's responsibility to provide care for the children. One day towards the end of the summer, the middle child, a five-year-old boy named Aiden, tried to get his dad to play a game with him. His father quickly made up an excuse and left for the store. Aiden turned to me and said, “That is the problem with daddies, they are always leaving. They aren't like mommies.” In that one moment, he was able to voice this undeniable truth that I had struggled with for months. The gift of a child is that they can see the simple truths which adult eyes haven been trained to ignore. Frequently in literature, authors use a child character as a vehicle for social commentary. In both Rushdie's Haroun and the Sea of Stories and Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, a child main character is used to comment upon an illogical adult society and discover an undeniable truth that adult characters seem to be unable to grasp.
One particular similarity between the two novels is the use of a dreamlike state which defies traditional rules of logic in order to illuminate a truth about society. In Haroun and the Sea of Stories, Haroun is transported to a magical ocean of tales. Since this happens after he has supposedly gone to sleep for the night, the reader never knows whether this world truly exists or if it is merely a dream of Haroun's. This fantastical world disregards reason. For example, Haroun can create things just by imaging them. When first told that this is possible, Haroun protests, “That may be true where you come from...But in these parts stricter rules apply” (63). Haroun quickly realizes, however, in this world of his imagination nearly anything is possible. The dream world allows Haroun to realize that when he disregards the strict logical rules of society, he can achieve amazing things. The dream in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland serves a similar purpose. After eating and drinking, Alice changes sizes several times. She questions “But if I am not the same, the next question is 'Who in the world am I?'” (28). Alice's Wonderland defies many of the conventions of logic. One cannot shift size no more than one can change their age or other physical features; however, this does not seem to apply in Alice's world. The rules of physics Alice is able to break in this Wonderland symbolically represent the breaking of the strict class system of Britain. Without the strict age and class rules of London society to define her identity, Alice is lost; she can truthfully have whatever identity she creates for herself. These child characters question the illogical world around them to a particular extent but are more easily persuaded than adult characters would be. Since the reader relates to the protagonist suddenly the old rules of logic become irrelevant. The eyes of a child make the reader realize that the confines of social rules are absurd and thus uncover the truth that without them, one is free to do and be as they please.
Thought this dream world allows greater freedom for identity, one character still faces limitations. In Haroun and the Sea of Stories it is revealed that Blabbermouth, the page, has to hide the fact that she is a female. When Haroun reveals her identity Blabbermouth is upset and worried that she will no longer be able to keep her job: “You think it's easy for a girl to get a job like this? Don't you know girls have to fool people every day of their lives if they want to get anywhere?” (107). Haroun is genuinely surprised: “You mean that just because you're a girl you aren't allowed to be a page?” (108). It is relatively accepted in society that some jobs are men's jobs, such as being a solider, while other jobs are woman's jobs, like being a nurse. This is an unspoken but rarely broken rule. The child character of Blabbermouth is able to identify this sad truth about society whereas the surprise of the young Haroun demonstrates how absurd this convention is.
In addition, in both novels there is a comment made upon the government. In society, people tend to accept the rule of government as perfectly logical and understandable. In both novels, an important criticism is made about the nature of monarchies in particular. In Haroun and the Sea Stories, the pages, or subjects of the court, are forced to wear silly outfits with propaganda stories about the prince written on them. Haroun realizes that theses stories are incorrect and muses,“ That's strange... I thought that story was about someone else” (98). Haroun, as a child, does not yet realize that it is not acceptable to question the authority of a monarch, and he curiously points out that it is illogical that his subjects are forced to wear lies. Likewise, the queen in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is made into a farce. While Alice is playing croquet with the queen, she notices that there does not seem to be any rules to the game. Neither does there seem to be any discretion with the queen's assignment of the death penalty to her subjects: she continuously condemns them for the slightest offense. When asked about her feelings on the croquet game Alice comments, “She's so extremely...likely to win, that it's hardly worth while finishing the game” (83). Alice realizes that she is not on an even playing field with the queen. The context of the story make the queen, and in essence the entire monarchy itself, a joke. Alice is not yet so conditioned by society that she accepts every verdict the queen makes as a valid one, and instead, Alice questions her illogical ways. She is able to see the truth: so long as this unfair monarchy exists, the common man (or woman) will never be able to experience equal treatment. The child characters of Haroun and Alice are able to explore the absurdity of the monarchy in a way that adult characters cannot. In this examination, they discover striking truths: the monarchy is given its power because its subjects unconditionally obey, and it is only by taking away this power that a fair society can be achieved.
While being similar in many ways, Haroun and the Sea Stories and Alice's Adventures in Wonderland are different in one major way. Haroun and the Sea Stories uses its child main character to criticizes censorship. In comparison, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland focuses its commentary on London society. Towards the end of Haroun and the Sea of Stories, Haroun enters the land of Chup and watches the dance of the Shadow Warriors. He comes into this land with hatred for the Chupwalas. He strongly believes that the issue is as simple as black and white, that silence is bad, and Gup should triumph; however, he is moved by the Shadow Warriors dance:
“'How many opposites are at war in this battle between Gup and Chup!' he marveled. 'Gup is bright and Chup is dark. Gup is warm and Chup is freezing cold. Gup is all chattering and noise, whereas Chup is silent as a shadow. Guppees love the Ocean, Chupwalas try to poison it. Guppees love Stories, and Speech; Chupwalas, it seems, hate these things just as strongly.' It was a war between Love (of the Ocean, or the princess) and Death (which was what Cultmaster Khattam-Shud had in mind for the Ocean, and for the princess, too). 'But it's not as simple as that,' he told himself because the dance of the Shadow Warrior showed him that silence had its own grace and beauty (just as speech could be graceless and ugly); and that Action could be as noble as Words; and that creatures of darkness could be as lovely as the children of light. "If Guppees and Chupwalas didn't hate each other so," he thought, "they might actually find each other pretty interesting. Opposites attract, as they say'” (125).
In this one quotation, Haroun makes the whole concept of the battle absurd. He comes to an obvious conclusion that is unable to be seen by the adult characters of the novel. While the adult character of Bolo has much invested in this battle, such as the dignity of his princess and years of animosity towards Chup, the child character of Haroun is able to look at the situation in an unbiased way. He makes a striking comment not only about the idea of censorship but the concept of war. Haroun realizes that there is value in both silence and speech and the true beauty lies in the freedom to express both in a society. By listing so many opposites between Gup and Chup he supports his hypothesis that even the most contradictory idea can find middle ground, thus, he points out, war is illogical and unnecessary. It could be avoided if people could find the good in one another.
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland focuses its criticism on a narrower topic; however, it has just as much resonance. The character of Alice is used mainly as a vehicle for Carroll to comment on the absurdity of British culture at the time. He does this by making seemingly common British traditions strange and funny. For example, he has a white rabbit dressed fully in British attire checking his pocket watch. One scene where this becomes apparently clear is that of the perpetual tea-party. The entire scene is non-sensical and there is a great deal of discussion of manners. In the end Alice concludes, “It's the stupidest tea-party I was at in all my life” (76). In this way, Carroll uses Alice to comment upon the silliness of British manners and customs. This is also the case in the scene of the Mock Turtle. As Alice discusses her school lesson with the Mock Turtle, the conversation become more and more confusing. In this instance, Carroll uses world play to get his message across. He carefully chooses his diction to use words that sound like sensical words but are really utter nonsense. Alice's reaction is carefully described: “Alice said nothing; she had sat down with her face in her hands, wondering if anything would ever happen in a natural way again” (101). The diction used in this scene mirror the idea that British society, while seeming orderly and proper, is in reality absurd. While adults might accept these practices, it is clear from Alice's reaction that she is able see the truth that societal standards for British behavior are truly just illogical and unnatural.
In the novels Haroun and the Sea of Stories by Rushdie and Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Carroll, a child main character functions to criticize the absurd confines of an adult society as well as uncover an indisputable truth that mature characters cannot see. Lewis Carroll uses Alice to criticize the illogical practices of British society during his age. Rushdie, on the other hand, uses Haroun to focus more on the problem of censorship he faced as a writer. It seems, however, some issues stand the test of time. Though decades separate the publishing of the stories, both novels comment on absurd social rules, gender roles, and unfair governments. They contain an underlying truth that illogical societal norms stifle creativity and identity. The use of a child protagonist allows this message to be communicated more clearly: by presenting these obvious assertion in the eyes of a child it makes the mature readers feel completely illogical not to believe in them. After all, if it is so simple a child can understand it, why couldn't an adult?
In the Eyes of a Child
This summer while I was home over break, I was a nanny for four children. Their mother was a pediatrician, and their father was an OBGYN. I watched every week as the mother ran herself ragged trying to balance her children and her job. Even though both parents worked, she seemed to have to do it all on her own. She paid me to babysit even when her husband was home because he always seemed to have something better to do. It would frustrate and disappoint me on a daily basis that the father would spend very little time with his children; however, I never felt like I had the right to say anything. In the back of my mind, society had conditioned me to believe that it was the mother's responsibility to provide care for the children. One day towards the end of the summer, the middle child, a five-year-old boy named Aiden, tried to get his dad to play a game with him. His father quickly made up an excuse and left for the store. Aiden turned to me and said, “That is the problem with daddies, they are always leaving. They aren't like mommies.” In that one moment, he was able to voice this undeniable truth that I had struggled with for months. The gift of a child is that they can see the simple truths which adult eyes haven been trained to ignore. Frequently in literature, authors use a child character as a vehicle for social commentary. In both Rushdie's Haroun and the Sea of Stories and Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, a child main character is used to comment upon an illogical adult society and discover an undeniable truth that adult characters seem to be unable to grasp.
One particular similarity between the two novels is the use of a dreamlike state which defies traditional rules of logic in order to illuminate a truth about society. In Haroun and the Sea of Stories, Haroun is transported to a magical ocean of tales. Since this happens after he has supposedly gone to sleep for the night, the reader never knows whether this world truly exists or if it is merely a dream of Haroun's. This fantastical world disregards reason. For example, Haroun can create things just by imaging them. When first told that this is possible, Haroun protests, “That may be true where you come from...But in these parts stricter rules apply” (63). Haroun quickly realizes, however, in this world of his imagination nearly anything is possible. The dream world allows Haroun to realize that when he disregards the strict logical rules of society, he can achieve amazing things. The dream in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland serves a similar purpose. After eating and drinking, Alice changes sizes several times. She questions “But if I am not the same, the next question is 'Who in the world am I?'” (28). Alice's Wonderland defies many of the conventions of logic. One cannot shift size no more than one can change their age or other physical features; however, this does not seem to apply in Alice's world. The rules of physics Alice is able to break in this Wonderland symbolically represent the breaking of the strict class system of Britain. Without the strict age and class rules of London society to define her identity, Alice is lost; she can truthfully have whatever identity she creates for herself. These child characters question the illogical world around them to a particular extent but are more easily persuaded than adult characters would be. Since the reader relates to the protagonist suddenly the old rules of logic become irrelevant. The eyes of a child make the reader realize that the confines of social rules are absurd and thus uncover the truth that without them, one is free to do and be as they please.
Thought this dream world allows greater freedom for identity, one character still faces limitations. In Haroun and the Sea of Stories it is revealed that Blabbermouth, the page, has to hide the fact that she is a female. When Haroun reveals her identity Blabbermouth is upset and worried that she will no longer be able to keep her job: “You think it's easy for a girl to get a job like this? Don't you know girls have to fool people every day of their lives if they want to get anywhere?” (107). Haroun is genuinely surprised: “You mean that just because you're a girl you aren't allowed to be a page?” (108). It is relatively accepted in society that some jobs are men's jobs, such as being a solider, while other jobs are woman's jobs, like being a nurse. This is an unspoken but rarely broken rule. The child character of Blabbermouth is able to identify this sad truth about society whereas the surprise of the young Haroun demonstrates how absurd this convention is.
In addition, in both novels there is a comment made upon the government. In society, people tend to accept the rule of government as perfectly logical and understandable. In both novels, an important criticism is made about the nature of monarchies in particular. In Haroun and the Sea Stories, the pages, or subjects of the court, are forced to wear silly outfits with propaganda stories about the prince written on them. Haroun realizes that theses stories are incorrect and muses,“ That's strange... I thought that story was about someone else” (98). Haroun, as a child, does not yet realize that it is not acceptable to question the authority of a monarch, and he curiously points out that it is illogical that his subjects are forced to wear lies. Likewise, the queen in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is made into a farce. While Alice is playing croquet with the queen, she notices that there does not seem to be any rules to the game. Neither does there seem to be any discretion with the queen's assignment of the death penalty to her subjects: she continuously condemns them for the slightest offense. When asked about her feelings on the croquet game Alice comments, “She's so extremely...likely to win, that it's hardly worth while finishing the game” (83). Alice realizes that she is not on an even playing field with the queen. The context of the story make the queen, and in essence the entire monarchy itself, a joke. Alice is not yet so conditioned by society that she accepts every verdict the queen makes as a valid one, and instead, Alice questions her illogical ways. She is able to see the truth: so long as this unfair monarchy exists, the common man (or woman) will never be able to experience equal treatment. The child characters of Haroun and Alice are able to explore the absurdity of the monarchy in a way that adult characters cannot. In this examination, they discover striking truths: the monarchy is given its power because its subjects unconditionally obey, and it is only by taking away this power that a fair society can be achieved.
While being similar in many ways, Haroun and the Sea Stories and Alice's Adventures in Wonderland are different in one major way. Haroun and the Sea Stories uses its child main character to criticizes censorship. In comparison, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland focuses its commentary on London society. Towards the end of Haroun and the Sea of Stories, Haroun enters the land of Chup and watches the dance of the Shadow Warriors. He comes into this land with hatred for the Chupwalas. He strongly believes that the issue is as simple as black and white, that silence is bad, and Gup should triumph; however, he is moved by the Shadow Warriors dance:
“'How many opposites are at war in this battle between Gup and Chup!' he marveled. 'Gup is bright and Chup is dark. Gup is warm and Chup is freezing cold. Gup is all chattering and noise, whereas Chup is silent as a shadow. Guppees love the Ocean, Chupwalas try to poison it. Guppees love Stories, and Speech; Chupwalas, it seems, hate these things just as strongly.' It was a war between Love (of the Ocean, or the princess) and Death (which was what Cultmaster Khattam-Shud had in mind for the Ocean, and for the princess, too). 'But it's not as simple as that,' he told himself because the dance of the Shadow Warrior showed him that silence had its own grace and beauty (just as speech could be graceless and ugly); and that Action could be as noble as Words; and that creatures of darkness could be as lovely as the children of light. "If Guppees and Chupwalas didn't hate each other so," he thought, "they might actually find each other pretty interesting. Opposites attract, as they say'” (125).
In this one quotation, Haroun makes the whole concept of the battle absurd. He comes to an obvious conclusion that is unable to be seen by the adult characters of the novel. While the adult character of Bolo has much invested in this battle, such as the dignity of his princess and years of animosity towards Chup, the child character of Haroun is able to look at the situation in an unbiased way. He makes a striking comment not only about the idea of censorship but the concept of war. Haroun realizes that there is value in both silence and speech and the true beauty lies in the freedom to express both in a society. By listing so many opposites between Gup and Chup he supports his hypothesis that even the most contradictory idea can find middle ground, thus, he points out, war is illogical and unnecessary. It could be avoided if people could find the good in one another.
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland focuses its criticism on a narrower topic; however, it has just as much resonance. The character of Alice is used mainly as a vehicle for Carroll to comment on the absurdity of British culture at the time. He does this by making seemingly common British traditions strange and funny. For example, he has a white rabbit dressed fully in British attire checking his pocket watch. One scene where this becomes apparently clear is that of the perpetual tea-party. The entire scene is non-sensical and there is a great deal of discussion of manners. In the end Alice concludes, “It's the stupidest tea-party I was at in all my life” (76). In this way, Carroll uses Alice to comment upon the silliness of British manners and customs. This is also the case in the scene of the Mock Turtle. As Alice discusses her school lesson with the Mock Turtle, the conversation become more and more confusing. In this instance, Carroll uses world play to get his message across. He carefully chooses his diction to use words that sound like sensical words but are really utter nonsense. Alice's reaction is carefully described: “Alice said nothing; she had sat down with her face in her hands, wondering if anything would ever happen in a natural way again” (101). The diction used in this scene mirror the idea that British society, while seeming orderly and proper, is in reality absurd. While adults might accept these practices, it is clear from Alice's reaction that she is able see the truth that societal standards for British behavior are truly just illogical and unnatural.
In the novels Haroun and the Sea of Stories by Rushdie and Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Carroll, a child main character functions to criticize the absurd confines of an adult society as well as uncover an indisputable truth that mature characters cannot see. Lewis Carroll uses Alice to criticize the illogical practices of British society during his age. Rushdie, on the other hand, uses Haroun to focus more on the problem of censorship he faced as a writer. It seems, however, some issues stand the test of time. Though decades separate the publishing of the stories, both novels comment on absurd social rules, gender roles, and unfair governments. They contain an underlying truth that illogical societal norms stifle creativity and identity. The use of a child protagonist allows this message to be communicated more clearly: by presenting these obvious assertion in the eyes of a child it makes the mature readers feel completely illogical not to believe in them. After all, if it is so simple a child can understand it, why couldn't an adult?
Evolution
From here, I tried to transform this piece into a literary review on Haroun and the Sea of Stories. I modeled this after an article that I found in The New York Times.
My first draft wasn't more than a bunch of nonsense:
Where do stories come from? Well, according to Salman Rushdie's HAROUN AND THE SEA OF STORIES (Penguin, $15), they come from a magical sea located in an outer space land. “Quote” When his mother leaves his father, his father loses not only his wife but his voice as well. His father, a professional story teller, can no longer tell stories. The politician who has hired him to spin positive propaganda about him has abducted Haroun and his father. As Haroun lays in bed, he is woken by a magical water genie who has come to turn off his father's story tap. The genie explains that Hauron has seen behind the veil into a world he was never supposed to know about, and now, Hauron must return to the Sea os Stories with him. So down the rabbit hole he goes to the magic land of Gup. Hauron arrives at Gup just as they are preparing for war with Chup. -Historical context
-Words/names/allegory
-Imagination/dreams
-Free speech
-Alice in wonderland
But this nonsense was an important first step. These bulleted thoughts evolved into a full rough draft:
Into the Sea
By JOLINE SMITH
Published: October 13 2011
Once upon a time there was a little girl who chased a rabbit into its hole. She grew up, she grew down, and then grew up again. And somewhere along the way realized something was wrong with the society she was living in. Alice became infamous. Children loved her stories because they were fanciful adventures. Adults loved her stories because to the well-trained reader they were a social criticism of the order of British society.
Years later there was Hauron, a young boy, who like Alice ventures into a fantasy land and unearths something about the nature of today's society. In Salman Rushdie's “Haroun and the Sea of Stories”, when Haruon's mother leaves his father, his father loses not only his wife but his voice as well. His father, a professional story teller, has lost his ability to tell stories. The politician who has hired Hauron's father to spin positive propaganda about his campaign has abducted Haroun and his father. As Haroun lies in bed, he is woken by a magical water genie that has come to turn off his father's story tap. The genie explains that Hauron has seen behind the veil into a world he was never supposed to know about, and now, Hauron must return to the Sea of Stories with him. So down the rabbit hole he goes to the magic land of Gup. Hauron arrives at Gup just as they are preparing for war with Chup. Chup seeks to forever silence the voices of those in Gup. They want there to be no more stories, no more speech, only a dark dictatorship.
Anyone who has read a Salman Rushdie novel knows that there is a lot more going on beneath the surface of the tale. His popular novel, The Satanic Verse, about Muhammad, caused a radical Muslim group to issue his death warrant. Hauron and the Sea of Stories seems to be Rushdie's response to this threat. What is life without words? Who can survive without stories?
This tale is one that both children and adults will enjoy, an ideal tale to read as a bed time story. The proses are simple and lend themselves to a young audience. The events are exciting and fantastical. The ending is happy. But beneath the surface, a darker topic looms. The tale addresses such themes as difference between dictatorship and democracy, the nature of politics in general, and the pointlessness of war. For the informed reader, every word provides a clue to this puzzle. Even the names are selected for their significance in Arabic.
There is one universal truth that both Alice and Wonderland and Hauron and the Sea of Stories benefit from: the gift of a child is that they can see the simple truths which adult eyes haven been trained to ignore. A child main character can be used to comment upon an illogical adult society and discover an undeniable truth that adult characters seem to be unable to grasp while avoiding persecution. Rushdie's writing placed him in mortal danger, and so he interweaves his political and social agenda into this new novel. His main character asks, “What if the stories aren't even true?”. Well Hauron, it doesn't mean the message behind them isn't important. Whether adult readers are searching for the next best fantasy tale for their middle schooler or just an engrossing read for themselves, Hauron and the Sea of Stories is definitely worth picking up.
My first draft wasn't more than a bunch of nonsense:
Where do stories come from? Well, according to Salman Rushdie's HAROUN AND THE SEA OF STORIES (Penguin, $15), they come from a magical sea located in an outer space land. “Quote” When his mother leaves his father, his father loses not only his wife but his voice as well. His father, a professional story teller, can no longer tell stories. The politician who has hired him to spin positive propaganda about him has abducted Haroun and his father. As Haroun lays in bed, he is woken by a magical water genie who has come to turn off his father's story tap. The genie explains that Hauron has seen behind the veil into a world he was never supposed to know about, and now, Hauron must return to the Sea os Stories with him. So down the rabbit hole he goes to the magic land of Gup. Hauron arrives at Gup just as they are preparing for war with Chup. -Historical context
-Words/names/allegory
-Imagination/dreams
-Free speech
-Alice in wonderland
But this nonsense was an important first step. These bulleted thoughts evolved into a full rough draft:
Into the Sea
By JOLINE SMITH
Published: October 13 2011
Once upon a time there was a little girl who chased a rabbit into its hole. She grew up, she grew down, and then grew up again. And somewhere along the way realized something was wrong with the society she was living in. Alice became infamous. Children loved her stories because they were fanciful adventures. Adults loved her stories because to the well-trained reader they were a social criticism of the order of British society.
Years later there was Hauron, a young boy, who like Alice ventures into a fantasy land and unearths something about the nature of today's society. In Salman Rushdie's “Haroun and the Sea of Stories”, when Haruon's mother leaves his father, his father loses not only his wife but his voice as well. His father, a professional story teller, has lost his ability to tell stories. The politician who has hired Hauron's father to spin positive propaganda about his campaign has abducted Haroun and his father. As Haroun lies in bed, he is woken by a magical water genie that has come to turn off his father's story tap. The genie explains that Hauron has seen behind the veil into a world he was never supposed to know about, and now, Hauron must return to the Sea of Stories with him. So down the rabbit hole he goes to the magic land of Gup. Hauron arrives at Gup just as they are preparing for war with Chup. Chup seeks to forever silence the voices of those in Gup. They want there to be no more stories, no more speech, only a dark dictatorship.
Anyone who has read a Salman Rushdie novel knows that there is a lot more going on beneath the surface of the tale. His popular novel, The Satanic Verse, about Muhammad, caused a radical Muslim group to issue his death warrant. Hauron and the Sea of Stories seems to be Rushdie's response to this threat. What is life without words? Who can survive without stories?
This tale is one that both children and adults will enjoy, an ideal tale to read as a bed time story. The proses are simple and lend themselves to a young audience. The events are exciting and fantastical. The ending is happy. But beneath the surface, a darker topic looms. The tale addresses such themes as difference between dictatorship and democracy, the nature of politics in general, and the pointlessness of war. For the informed reader, every word provides a clue to this puzzle. Even the names are selected for their significance in Arabic.
There is one universal truth that both Alice and Wonderland and Hauron and the Sea of Stories benefit from: the gift of a child is that they can see the simple truths which adult eyes haven been trained to ignore. A child main character can be used to comment upon an illogical adult society and discover an undeniable truth that adult characters seem to be unable to grasp while avoiding persecution. Rushdie's writing placed him in mortal danger, and so he interweaves his political and social agenda into this new novel. His main character asks, “What if the stories aren't even true?”. Well Hauron, it doesn't mean the message behind them isn't important. Whether adult readers are searching for the next best fantasy tale for their middle schooler or just an engrossing read for themselves, Hauron and the Sea of Stories is definitely worth picking up.
Further Changes
One of the greatest lessons I have learned as a writer is that a final draft isn't the second draft or even the third. Writing needs time to grow. Some parts are good and should be emphasized while other parts do nothing for the piece and should be eliminated. Drafting is sort of a survival of the fittest process: only the best writing survives. This is the final "draft" of my literary review. Looking back at the two drafts prior, you can see the evolution of my piece.
For formatting reasons, please download from the link below!
For formatting reasons, please download from the link below!
Final Product (For Now)
You have seen every stage of the adaptation of my original essay as well as my growth as a writer. For the final stage of this project, I created a podcast. This was the ultimate change for me. I have always been dedicated to the print medium and never experiment with technology. This project pushed me outside of my comfort zone and forced me to evolve as writer. This piece is representative of both the adaptation that a piece of writing must undergo as well as the adaptations it's creator must face in this ever morphing world of technology.
"Final" Piece
Sea of Stories Podcast
Sea of Stories Podcast