My Blog

The Midnight’s Children Meander, Week Six

Written by

admin

in

Another great section, and the book is officially exactly nothing like I was expecting when we started.

And that’s a joyous distraction, this week of all weeks.

I’m going to keep the post a little short, but I did want to share a quote that’s been buzzing around my head while I’ve read the last chapter or two.

It’s my favorite line from TV’s Johnny Carson. Legend has it that during Steve Martin’s first appearance on The Tonight Show, Johnny leaned over during a commercial break and told him “You’ll use everything you’ve ever learned.” (See: balloon tricks, banjo playing, et al)

That’s how I feel reading MC. The time I’ve spent looking up tetrapods and reccine has been paid back 50 fold. So when I pause to look up “feronia,” I do so with the peace that comes from knowing my effort will be rewarded, if not in this book than perhaps in the bookafter.

Next stop: Let’s meet at the end of the section entitled “Commander Sabarmati’s Baton” (aka page 307 in the Random House paperback), where awaits “the possibility of love.”

And this? This is the post for comments on sections 2.8 through 2.10.

And lastly: wikipedia insists that “feronia” was “a goddess associated with wildlife, fertility, health, and abundance.”

Comments

24 responses to “The Midnight’s Children Meander, Week Six”

  1. So-Called Bill Avatar
    So-Called Bill

    Tergiversatory?

    Reply
  2. Itto Ogami Avatar
    Itto Ogami

    Just discovered that MC has a movie version. Fun fact. Actor Charles Dance from GoT (Tywin Lannister) is in it and plays William Methwold.

    Also, SR appeared on Curb your Enthusiasm.

    The latter show is more tempting.

    Reply
  3. So-Called Bill Avatar
    So-Called Bill

    And references to the Supreme Court (of India, but still) right at the end of our week’s reading? Just too perfect.

    Reply
  4. Computilo Avatar
    Computilo

    Struggled with this section–so dense! Loved the characters, though. Masha Miovic and her box-stepping, Mexican Hat-Dancing betrayal; continued development of the haunted and troubled Mary Pereira; Commander Sabarmati and Homi Catrack; Uncle Hanif and Aunty Pia; the whole neon green glow of this section with the green chutney and green pickles. Brilliant, but oh so tough to plow through at times.

    Reply
  5. Furiosa Avatar
    Furiosa

    The enumeration of key historical events through Saleem cutting up newspaper headlines to create a pivotal anonymous note is exposition/world building/back story/some other creative writing term at its best. The pause for chopping up advertisements before going back to the news headlines also made me chortle.

    This passage, however, is so resonant that I had to put the book down for a day after I read it earlier this week just to process it: “I remain, today, half-convinced that in that time of accelerated events and diseased hours the past of India rose up to confound her present; the new-born, secular state was being given an awesome reminder of its fabulous antiquity, in which democracy and votes for women were irrelevant. . . so that people were seized by atavistic longings, and forgetting the new myth of freedom reverted to their old ways, their old regionalist loyalties and prejudices, and the body politic began to crack.” Indeed.

    Reply
  6. Peaseblossom Avatar
    Peaseblossom

    “There was turmoil in Bombay in the months after the election” –I felt as if this could be a reference (foreshadowing) of our upcoming election here in the States, just omit In Bombay.

    I was grinning when Commander Sabarmati walked down the Causeway with his gun in hand only to direct traffic once the policeman fled. This would be a great scene in a movie!

    This book has been tough sledding, but oh so worth the effort!!!

    Reply
  7. Ute Avatar
    Ute

    2 phrases that ring oh-so true:
    “Panic attracts panic”.
    “When novelty wears off, boredom, and then dissension, must inevitably ensue”.

    Reply
  8. Computilo Avatar
    Computilo

    Good find! But This book needs its own series on Netflix or wherever. Way too intricate and intriguing for a two hour movie. Plus the cliffhangers are built in!

    Reply
  9. Amanda Avatar
    Amanda

    I nominate “It’s Not the End of the World?” by Super Furry Animals to the playlist this week. It feels appropriately topical, hopeful, and irresolute 🙂

    Reply
  10. Just KT Avatar
    Just KT

    This was a tough week. I was gifted a puzzle of the Taj Mahal to put together while being read to…but that is enough distraction to lose critical threads in the story. After several reader interruptions for explanation, I had to step away from the puzzle. MC does require one to be all-in.

    Reply
  11. Noodle Avatar
    Noodle

    I found this section too dense…didn’t quite make it to the end. I needed a diagram of the active/passive vs literal/metaphorical occurrences and didn’t have time to make one until today. Will send to Cecil in case he feels it might be useful to others, although you all seem to have raced ahead without needing such a crutch.

    Reply
  12. pete Avatar
    pete

    Lots in this section i did not understand but loved the image of the globe at the end. And helpfully now know many of the Coba’s natural enemies. Booker prize clearly does not indicate that the tale is easily understood…

    Reply
  13. Jeff Avatar
    Jeff

    First week that I didn’t finish entirely in time–will do so later today! Meanwhile, I did enjoy (well, “enjoy” isn’t quite the right word) poor Saleem’s misadventures with his headmaster (bigtime “Another Brick in the Wall” vibes) and pre-adolescent crushes. The active/passive vs literal/metaphorical section was indeed a bit of a mouthful, but I also appreciated Rushdie giving us a built-in, ready-made Clif’s Notes essay topic for us to submit to our English professors.

    Reply
  14. Guzmán Avatar
    Guzmán

    Really enjoyed the “Alpha and Omega” chapter and for the first time realised that chapters have meaningful titles (#facepalm).

    “the world of my childhood had, indeed, come to an end”.

    Reply
  15. Jim Compton Avatar
    Jim Compton

    To the max!

    Reply
  16. Jim Compton Avatar
    Jim Compton

    I’m looking forward to meeting Parvati-the-witch.

    Having said that, it occurs to me that all the foreshadowing, which flows naturally from Saleem’s first-person voice, is one more element that would be difficult to dramatize, whether in two hours or twelve. The adapting screenwriters would face dozens of choices between ignoring the foreshadowing altogether and adding potentially clumsy exposition.

    Reply
  17. Jeff Avatar
    Jeff

    The MC movie is on Tubi, by the way. Totally free movie streaming service. Need to make an account but that’s it. The one catch: ads. They just stick them awkwardly in movies, but OTOH they don’t cut anything either. I’ve watched a bunch of stuff on it and for free movies it’s not bad.

    https://tubitv.com/

    That said, I wouldn’t dare watch this before we finished the book, and would have my expectations WAY low.

    Reply
  18. Susan C Avatar
    Susan C

    Still catching up, and so grateful for all of your company, which keeps me almost on track. I like this clue to the writing: “Matter of fact descriptions of the outre and bizarre, and their reverse, namely heightened, stylized versions of the everyday–these techniques, which are also attitudes of mind, I have lifted…from my fellow-changeling…. Death, and defeat at rummy were all of a piece to Shiva.” Sort of explains why I sometimes feel utterly deluged with characters tangents language asides jokes nicknames foreshadowing tergiversation.

    Reply
  19. Computilo Avatar
    Computilo

    Like Noodle and a few others, I felt like I really had to put more effort than I could possibly muster this week to get through this section. I wanted to somehow communicate with SR via some sort of transcendental mind-meld and tell him to BREATHE. TAKE A BREAK BETWEEN SENTENCES AND EVENTS! WE’LL ALL GET THERE IN THE END. I’m on Padma’s side here.

    Reply
  20. Lydia Avatar
    Lydia

    I am so proud! I am on track again!! But you find me speechless. I really like what I read although I need even more dictionaries and wikipedia entries than with TBA.
    History closely interwoven with almost-history and imagination causes a slight dizziness in me. I decided that I will continue reading much more calmly. And let the narrative stand and take effect on me without having to search for the source of every detail.

    Reply
  21. Clort Avatar
    Clort

    This is starting to remind me of college, where I am always late, and then for some reason I get a C-. But that’s OK, I accept my C-! And I can admit that I only just noticed that sometimes Saleem switches back and forth between 1st and 3rd persons when describing his actions. (It may have started earlier?) Anyway, that makes me wonder if it’s a simple dramatic device or something more integral to the plot of the book. Hmmmmmmm……

    Reply
  22. Alyssa Avatar
    Alyssa

    Late this week as well, and so happy to know I’m not alone in finding this section especially convoluted and trippy. I enjoy the parts of the book that are less stream-of-consciousness though I do admire Rushdie’s ability to craft a narrative this way.

    Reply
  23. Barbara B Avatar
    Barbara B

    “The terrible inevitability of soap.” Yes.

    Reply
  24. Willem Avatar
    Willem

    I’m with you re the characters and the struggle — I’m late with this comment as I’m meandering very, very slowly.

    I feel like this section needed more Padma! And I feel a little cheated by Salman. Just as I’m getting used to the idea of this being a magical realism jaunt full of midnight children and their superpowers, he seems to abandon the MCC. Harrumph!

    OK, on to the next section!

    Reply

Leave a Reply to Willem Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

More posts