Book 2 Of Midnight’s Children – Wrapping Up Week 2 & 3 Read-Along

I read somewhere that vocabulary defines one’s wisdom.  In the sense that it is a tool – perhaps one major tool – to express oneself.  The more diverse and vast one’s pool of vocabulary is, the more precise one’s idea can be articulated.  It is observed that most adults after leaving school seldom learn new words.  Perhaps ten or twenty new words a year?  That is the reason why I always get excited when I come across a writer who is gifted with the ability to articulate ideas with exactitude.  Even if I have to research on why certain words are chosen for a given context, I am happy to do so.  It affects the fluidity of reading.  But I hope that in my subsequent reading – same author or same book – I would have a much enjoyable ride.  That also explains why I prefer to stick to a certain set of authors.  Salman Rushie is one.

OK.  I survived book two of Salman Rushdie’s “Midnight’s Children”; 313 pages in total.  In book one, I have spent much time catching up on the culture and history of India, Pakistan, and Kashmir.  In book one, I have read the story of Saleem Sinai’s grandparents all the way till the time when Saleem is born – midnight of August 15, 1947 when India has gained independence.  Book two is about Saleem’s childhood, all the way till he is 18.  It is a story mashed up with the history of India and Pakistan.  It is chaotic.  It can be confusing.  The chapter “The Kolynos Kid” sheds some light on how “Midnight’s Children” can be read.  A ‘dualistically-combined configurations’ in connecting the characters literally and metaphorically to the fate of nations.  Specifically speaking, actively-literally, passively-metaphorically, actively-metaphorically, and passively-literally.  What a minute, you may say: What are you talking about?

Combining active and literal mean the actions of the characters alter the course of historical events.  That is to say, these are works of fiction.  Nice and simple.  Passive and metaphorical refer to the socio-political trends and events by their mere existence affects the characters metaphorically.  That means to say one has to interpret a certain plot, usually abstract in nature, in an attempt to decipher which historical incident it derives from.  Passive and literal means that the story of the characters happens against a historical background, which is also the most intuitive to the readers (or so it seems because unfortunately, mixing the four modes makes it confusing to read at times).  The last one is active and metaphorical.  It is the most bizarre of all.  Things that are done by or to the characters are mirrored in the microcosm of public affairs – to be symbolically at one with history.  That is when interpretation can often run wild.  To me, understanding these four modes of dualism helps me understand the book better.

One thing I admire about “Midnight’s Children” is the effort Rushdie has put into the planning of the story.  Often, the ending of the sub-plot or the character is foretold and it is a matter of telling the story in reverse.  Rushdie has even planned out where the middle of the story is to be (titled as “Alpha and Omega”).  I have yet to read the author’s note.  If I could ask Rushdie a question on “Midnight’s Children”, that would be: Did you create the storyline backward?  How did you know that “Alpha and Omega” would be the middle of the book?  Do you have a laundry list of metaphors and what they mean to share with me?! OK.  Three instead of one question.

Out of the 15 chapters of book two, which are written in a diverse style, I enjoy reading the beginning of “At the Pioneer Café” a lot.  Below is an excerpt taken from the last sentence of the first paragraph.  In case if you wonder why it is written that way, the narrating character is having a bad fever.

Now only she and I and no more screams the Widow’s hand comes hunting hunting the skin is green the nails are black towards the corner hunting hunting while we shrink closer into the corner our skin is green our fear is black and now the Hand comes reaching reaching and she my sister pushes me out out of the corner while she stays cowering staring the hand the nails are curling scream and mmff and splash of black and up in to the high as sky and laughing Widow tearing I am rolling into little balls the balls are green and out into the night the night is black …

Back to the read-along that Jo is hosting, do head over to her latest post and read the wrap-up and further discussion questions.  After my week one wrap-up, looking back, I think I may wish to answer some of the questions after I have completed my reading.