Haroun and The Sea of Stories- Chapter 5 & 6

(pg. 86) Like Achak had many names throughout his life, Haroun has adopted a new nickname from Iff the Water Genie. "Nothing comes from nothing, Thieflet; no story comes from nowhere." (Rushdie 86) What you've done, where you've been, it defines who you are. And if you're lucky you'll get a nickname out of it. Haroun stole Iff's beloved Disconnecting Tool, so the name Thieflet is appropriate.

(pg. 98) Gup City is in a frenzy and has declared war on Chup City. There is a Twilight Strip that connects theses two warring lands, and there a spy was found. This spy's name was Rashid Khalifa. Gasp! Gasping moments for Haroun and the Sea of Stories are when unexpected or comical things happen. Such as Rashid's entrance in Kahani and learning water genies actually do exist! Gasping moments in What is the What are when someone close to Achak dies or is never seen again, such as William K, Deng, and Dut.

(pg. 99) The Land of Gup is all about stories. Even the Gup army is actually called "the Library." Every soldier is actually "a page" in "a chapter" in "a book" in "a volume." That's how the army is divided and organized. It actually reminds me of Alice In Wonderland. Except instead of books, chapters, and volumes, there are cards, queens, kings, spades, etc. Also, Haroun and the Sea of Stories is full of creatures like Mali the Floating Gardener, Iff the Water Genie, and Goopa and Bagha the Plentimaw Fishes. In Alice in Wonderland there are creatures like the talking caterpillar, the Mad Hatter, the Time Rabbit, and the purple-striped cat. Wonderland is as mythical as Kahani.

(pg. 101) The Chupwalas hate stories so much that they don't even like to speak. In fact, they don't speak at all. "The Land of Chup has fallen under the power of the "Mystery of Bezaban," a Cult of Dumbness or Muteness, whose followers swear vows of lifelong silence to show their devotion." (Rushdie 101) Some even sew their mouths shut in dedication, but then they die because they couldn't eat or drink. I think Chupwalas have the disadvantage here. The shorter end of the stick. The Guppees could could taunt and make fun of them and they could have no comeback. However, since the Gups are so gentle what could they say?

(pg. 104) Not only did the Chups pollute the Sea, but they also kidnapped the unattractive, horrible-voiced Princess Batcheat- Prince Bolo's one true love. "'As the Chupwala soldiers hauled the Princess away, I heard them say a terrible thing.'" Wait, I thought they were vowed to silence. What would they do anyway to communicate? Sign language? Charades? So if the Chupwala soldiers got in trouble for talking, their leader, Khattam-Shud, would just charade- ...3 words...... You...... R...... banished.

(pg. 108) The Land of Gup seems like a really beautiful, magical place when it is described by Haroun. "... gazed out at the view of the Land of Gup, and the Pleasure Garden in which preparations for was were being made, and the Lagoon in which a great flotilla of mechanical birds was assembling, and out across the endangered Ocean of the Streams of Story." (Rushdie 108) Perhaps I can relate this place to Neverland in Peter Pan. That place was definitely full of magic just like the Land of Guppees.