Tuesday, June 12, 2007
What's the use of stories that aren't even true?
What’s the use of stories that aren’t even true? As the novel opens, this is the question that is on Haroun’s mind. One day, Haroun is upset with his father and he shouts the question at him. Haroun feels that shouting this question aloud caused his father’s stories to dry up. What do you think is the answer to Haroun's question? What is the use of telling stories that ren't even true? Is there a purpose? Does Haroun get an answer to his question? How do you think the novel/author answers this question?
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I suppose that numerous works of fiction contain hidden allegorical messages, that offer something that the reader can take away from the story.
In many stories--even and sometimes especially in fictional ones--there is quite a bit of truth, and usually a message. Haroun learns that telling stories can make people who would otherwise be miserable quite happy, which is sometimes much more than any true story could do. Because a lot of the time, real life is quite dreary, dull, upsetting and sad.
Think about it, if you only ever read books that were absolute fact, and you only watched movies that were documentaries or exact recreations of the truth, your life would still be bearable, just quite a bit more drab.
Stories are for whisking us away from our lives and taking us to a place that couldn't possibly exist, meeting people we couldn't possibly imagine, completing tasks we could possibly take on otherwise.
Reading stories that aren't true...:
-it gives people hope
-it inspires people
-people can "escape from reality"
-we get enjoyment from reading them
What's the use of stories that are true?
What is "truth"? Truth does not exist.
That was pretentious. What I mean is, "truth" is never true to everyone. In history, no matter whose point of view the relatively true story is written from, there's always another person who has or had an opposite view. In science, everything is only "true" so long as no new scientist comes along with evidence disproving it, and there are plenty of those scientists slaving alway in labs, hacking away at old theories.
In comparison with those "truths," the stories that are fantastic and completely made up may be more complete and more true than anything in our world ever could be. It's set down on paper, it's unchangeable. It is the absolute truth, in a way. This truth is foolproof. Compared with our chipped and muddy version of whatever it is we call relevant, it's comforting.
What answers could come out from the author, when Haround was shouting at Rashid Khalife (the storyteller:
-The stories that aren't true can help to use their mind beyond reality
-They could be stories that can give people the excitement and hope after reading from all the fun stuff included in the book.
-It could help many readers think of their own stories away from reality.
-Makes people inspired to read more stories and that aren't true.
I have done a small amount of research on Salman Rushdie's life and I thought that this statement was an allusion to a serious event in his life. Rushdie wrote a book entitled "The Satanic Verses," that was a story dealing with Muhammad, and the Islamic religion. The ruler of Iran put a Fatwa, or bounty, on Rushdie's head. Thus, all "good muslims" were ordered to help kill Rushdie and all those associated with the book.
The book in general offended many muslims and there were riots and violent acts of rebellion in response to this story. However, that is all it was--a story. When Haroun says "what's the use of stories that aren't even true," Rushdie is making one of many defenses in his favor about his book.
After I read up on what happened in Rushdie's life, I have been paying closer attention to things that may or may not be allusions to his life. There are many throughout the book, and it is beneficial for you as the reader to be wary of what is happening below the writing.
Keeping in mind this is just my opinion--im not even sure if I'm correct.
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