It is I, Satan
I find it deliciously ironic that Salman Rushdie has become Sir Salman Rushdie around the same time that I am reading one of the best books I've ever picked up, by another Muslim author titled "My Name is Red" penned by Orhan Pamuk.
It gets better because I just finished reading a chapter in the book which is titled "It is I, Satan". Without giving too much of the book away, the way Pamuk has written the entire book is in a series of chapters where the narrator of the chapter is one of the many characters in the story. So the way he (magically) weaves the entire tale is through this incredibly powerful style of writing.
"It is I, Satan" is a chapter where Satan is speaking in the first person to the readers about how he (Satan) is unnecessarily vilified, cursed and hated by mankind. Satan goes on to share with us his perspective on why man does the stupid things man does and how Satan is, for the most part just a stirrer of the pot, a stoker of the flame or even a mere (albeit gleeful) bystander as Man goes about his own demise.
The complete significance of this chapter, I have not yet understood. Is Pamuk secretly mocking (God forbid) Islam's beliefs of right and wrong, of what is Evil and what is not? Is this chapter his way of heaping scorn on radical Islam or even extreme religious beliefs that judge us on what is pure and white and what is the dark side?
It seems to me that Pamuk's writing is replete with messages for those who care to spot them...maybe one of the things he's telling us is man has enough latent malice and evil within himself and it really doesn't matter if Satan tempts you.....or if people like Sir Rushdie write the things they write. And of course right on cue the "satanic" element is there for all to see with Sir Salman Rushdie's knighthood being condemned by Pakistan (!)
Its a reflection of our society (in India, Pakistan and the other Islamic and supposedly secular nations) that we treat one of the brightest intellects of our time in a manner befitting a social leper. India has of course stayed true to form in displaying her hypocrisy by long banning one of his best pieces of writing, stating it not fit for a "secular" society and it not being kind to the "sentiments" of certain people. At least we still have countries and societies such as the United Kingdom that have the fortitude and foresight to do what should be done, to have the conviction to challenge misbegotten beliefs born out of an unholy alliance of religion and degeneration.
Where will it end?
It gets better because I just finished reading a chapter in the book which is titled "It is I, Satan". Without giving too much of the book away, the way Pamuk has written the entire book is in a series of chapters where the narrator of the chapter is one of the many characters in the story. So the way he (magically) weaves the entire tale is through this incredibly powerful style of writing.
"It is I, Satan" is a chapter where Satan is speaking in the first person to the readers about how he (Satan) is unnecessarily vilified, cursed and hated by mankind. Satan goes on to share with us his perspective on why man does the stupid things man does and how Satan is, for the most part just a stirrer of the pot, a stoker of the flame or even a mere (albeit gleeful) bystander as Man goes about his own demise.
The complete significance of this chapter, I have not yet understood. Is Pamuk secretly mocking (God forbid) Islam's beliefs of right and wrong, of what is Evil and what is not? Is this chapter his way of heaping scorn on radical Islam or even extreme religious beliefs that judge us on what is pure and white and what is the dark side?
It seems to me that Pamuk's writing is replete with messages for those who care to spot them...maybe one of the things he's telling us is man has enough latent malice and evil within himself and it really doesn't matter if Satan tempts you.....or if people like Sir Rushdie write the things they write. And of course right on cue the "satanic" element is there for all to see with Sir Salman Rushdie's knighthood being condemned by Pakistan (!)
Its a reflection of our society (in India, Pakistan and the other Islamic and supposedly secular nations) that we treat one of the brightest intellects of our time in a manner befitting a social leper. India has of course stayed true to form in displaying her hypocrisy by long banning one of his best pieces of writing, stating it not fit for a "secular" society and it not being kind to the "sentiments" of certain people. At least we still have countries and societies such as the United Kingdom that have the fortitude and foresight to do what should be done, to have the conviction to challenge misbegotten beliefs born out of an unholy alliance of religion and degeneration.
Where will it end?
Labels: books, international relations, politics, radical islam
posted by Abs @ 6/19/2007 11:51:00 PM
3 comments
3 Comments:
The news of Rushdie’s knighthood is amazing. What makes it even more noteworthy is that Rushdie has been a long-time critic of the British government, especially that of Margaret Thatcher. Ironically, when the mad mullahs came after him for “The Satanic Verses” (which incidentally is set mostly in England and has a lot of negative things to say about Thatcher’s England), it was the Thatcher government that gave him shelter.
Oh, and you’re completely correct about India being backward and absurd. Just look at the way we are treating that other great, modern-day luminary, MF Hussain.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Opinion/Sunday_Specials/All_That_Matters/SHASHI_ON_SUNDAY_Why_is_Indias_Picasso_staying_away_/articleshow/2112091.cms
Says it all man.
Vijay: that having been said, we still live in a place where we can, without fear write and comment as we do. I think that counts for something no?
Counts for a lot bro. That's why I'm here. :-)
And I'm surprised you didn't mention that Ian Botham's on the same list of Honourees.
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