Haroun and The Sea of Stories- Chapter 11 & 12

(pg. 185) Meanwhile, back with Rashid, Prince Bolo, Murda, the Shadow Warrior, and company, they are going into battle with the real Khattam-Shud and his army of Chups. Keep in mind that the Chups never ever talk, to each other or at all. The Gups talk almost constantly and that enabled them to strategize, plan, argue, debate, and unite together. "All those arguments and debates, all that openness, had created powerful bonds of fellowship between them... And as for the rest, well, their vows of silence and their habits of secrecy had made them suspicious and distrustful of one another." (Rushdie 185) I definitely see this as the moral of the story or at least a good lesson. To have good relationships with people you have to talk and communicate in order to know each other. The people you never talk to, you don't know them and can't trust them.

(pg. 192) The Chup army was easily defeated was easily defeated and Princess Batcheat was saved by Prince Bolo, thanks to Haroun's wish for the sun to shine which melted the tower she was in. Khattam-Shud was crushed by a detached statue head. What nobody knew was the Chups hated the Vow of Silence and Khattam-Shud. They wanted peace with the Gups, and Murda became the new leader of the Chups. "They announced that they were especially anxious to restore the Old Zone as soon as possible, so that these ancient tales could be fresh once more." (Rushdie 192) This all happened in the course of what, two days? Less than that? Though the division between the Gups and Chups have been there for a long time. That's just the way stories go sometimes.

(pg. 203) Haroun's journey to the Sea of Stories, the Land of Gup, and the Land of Chup all ended happily. Butt, the Hoopoe, got a wonderful new brain, the two lands of Kahani are living peacefully, and Rashid got his gift of storytelling back. Haroun and Rashid went back to Earth. "When he awoke it was a bright, sunny morning. Everything seemed as it had always been; of flying mechanical Hoopoes and Water Genies there was no trace." (Rushdie 203) This is like the ending of Peter Pan. The kids all remembered their journey to Neverland like a dream, and though they spent days in Neverland, when they woke up it was the same night. And it was just the next day for Haroun and Rashid.

(pg. 211) The book ended with Rashid telling a story for Snooty Buttoo, the mean politician, in front of a giant crowd. The story he told was Haroun and the Sea of Stories. Too bad for Buttoo, but the people loved the story and related him to Khattam-Shud and drove him out of town. When Haroun and Rashid came home Haroun's mother, Soraya, was back, and back for good. "... 'I know that I made a mistake. I went; I don't deny. I went, but now, if you want, then I am back.'" (Rushdie 210) The "sad city's" name was also remembered when the Walrus made the city happy under Haroun's wish. It was Kahani, which means "story." I really enjoyed this book. It taught me the importance of will-power and communication. All the characters were important and believable, and it relates to our world for such a far-fetched story.