Satanic Verses

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cnelson

The Fly
Joined
Oct 7, 2002
Messages
93
Location
Sarnia, ON
Hey Ya'll,

What exactly is the Satanic Verses all about? I've been woundering for some time now. From what I gather, it's a book arguing against Islam, right?
 
I checked the book out from the local library when I was in 8th grade...but my mom found it, saw the title, and took it back to the library before I had a chance to read it. :crack:

That WAS 6 years ago...mayhaps I should pick up another copy and give it a read. I'm still interested in reading it.
 
I haven't read it yet, but I have done a lot of planned research before I start to read it in the near future.

But as far as I know--

Filled with Anglo-Indian references, it starts off with two men transforming into angels, Gibreel (Gabriel) and Saladin (the Devil) as they fall from the sky, after militant Arabic terrorists hijack and blow up an airline plane flying over London.

Then it goes into dream sequences and back and forth history switching.

Ultimately, it's a satire on Islam. When Mahound (Mohammed) first preached Islam, it was not widely accepted or tolerated in the ancient Middle East filled with pagan idol worshipping. In order to gain tolerance, Rushdie suggests that he compromised his stance on monotheism, by deifying three street prostitutes as Islamic goddesses. Only to realize that he might have taken the advice to do so from the Devil (disguised as Gibreel).

What makes this novel controversial is that no one has ever satirized the Islam religion. It has been done so with Christianity for ages, with the Medieval Passion plays, Jonathan Swift, Shakespeare, John Dryden.

But Muslim took everything sacred and seriously. Thus, they were personally insulted by a book that mocked everything they believed.
 
I have read the book. Actually I couldn't see anything anti-islamic in it. It is a real Salman Rushdie-like book with Indian characters and the usual relationship problems or family trees are told. :shrug: If you like Salman Rushdie's works then you have to check that book out and read it for yourself! :up:
 
The Satanic Verses is an incredible book! I would definitely recommend it! :up:

I don't, however think that it's a satire. In Rushdie's own words, his books are a genre called "imaginary realism." The premise of the book is imagining what would happen if one takes a revisionist look at the history of the world and, especially, religion. The book is not anti any one religion... it's actually an indictment of all of them. Rushdie explores the different motivations that lead people to believe.

The book is called The Satanic Verses because of it's thesis that maybe the "divine inspiration" of these prophets wasn't so divine. Rushdie really explores the difference between good and evil, and comes to the conclusion that maybe there is no absolute good or evil. For these reasons, and because Rushdie chose to focus on Muhammed, he was condemned by the Ayatollah.

But that's what the book is about... is Rushdie really good or evil? who knows.

This is definitely an excellent book :yes:
 
I read the Satanic Verses about a year ago now and have since read Midnight's Children, The Ground Beneath Her Feet, The Moor's Last Sigh, and East, West. They're all fantastic, everyone go read them!

Rushdie is absolutely not using the Satanic Verses though, to "argue against" any one religion. It's not really satire either. Salman did not write the book to ridicule or demean any system of religion specifically. Though in his public lectures and in his books there is the continuing theme of "defying the gods" and turning religion and traditional notions of what is sacred and profane on their heads.

You can't really know what a book is all about until you read it though, so before you pass any judgment on it, go get a copy of Satanic Verses and read it!

=Ultraviolet906=
 
i haven't read this one, just east west, midnight's children and the ground beneath her feet, all excellent works of art. actually last night i was talking with a friend about satanic verses, he has read it, and he was telling me that there's absolutely nothing that may contrast with the islam. rushdie wants to illustrate just the struggle between good and evil, but probably he was persecuted for such political views
 
TGBHF is about love and music! I'm in the middle of it right now (reading for the 3rd time). :D

It's a reworking of the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice: the musician who almost saved his woman from the underworld but got scared and couldn't manage it.

It's a fabulous book... imo, Rushdie's best work. :yes:
 
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