BOOK REVIEW -- 3
Education
Name:-Jonathan Livingston Seagull.- a story.
Author:- Richard Bach.
Publishers:- Harper Collins India.
ISBN:-978-81-7223-578-9
Category:- Fiction/Spiritual.
Pages:-87
1st published:- 1972, Great Britain
Present edition:- 23rd, 2013.
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About the author (as given in the book):
Richard Bach is a writer and pilot, author of three books on the
mystique of flight. During the past decade or so, he has edited a flying
magazine, and written more than a hundred magazine articles and
stories. A former US Air Force pilot, he is now seldom without an
aeroplane.
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[*A pre-comment-)I honestly confess that this review is more of a
personal commentary than a critic. The readiness I ask for in the review
is the courage to follow where the story takes us.]
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The Review :
" Well, of course it works, Jon. It always works, when you know what you are doing."
The Question- it arises like a little cloud in a clear sky of
comfort,when cool breezes of acceptance turn into harsh wind of doubts.
The Question gains the form of a heavy black cloud with intolerance.
Then …
And the little question arising here is the one most of us wish to
know the answer for, in our deepest of desires. Though we may give
elongated forms for that question, I quote it here in a concise way as-
Why Life?.
Well. I presume, answer to that question is not so obvious. One needs
to consider almost all the subtleties involved in each aspect of life.
But with a general consideration and broader sense, it is possible to
address this question. And JLS is an allegorical attempt in that
way.Popularly, JLS story is considered as a fable in novella form or a
homily. But I personally view this as a 'biography of true self'. By
that I mean it is a life story of all of us as we truely are.
On the back of the cover it reads as 'this is a story for people who
follow their dreams and make their own rules'. But in the pages of the
book, author tries to convince us that everyone is worthy of that
stature. In the front cover he begins with a take off into that worth
along with Jonathan Livingston Seagull. Dedicated to all those who
believe in self perfection,like Jonathan,the book tells the story of our
spirits as Jonathan. Aptly divided into three parts, it primely deals
with three P's- Perseverance,Perfection and Purpose. Each part,truely,is
a great course in the University of Life.
1. Perseverance
As Aldous Huxley rightly claims-"There is one corner of the universe
you can be certain of improving and that is your own self." If we are
certain about this then why complain about the world around us? Why not
just focus on the self?. This is how Jonathan views his world and
himself. As a first step in self-improvement, he discovers his calling,
as a seagull, in flying. Where all other birds struggle over food for
mere living and consider flying as just a means to get to their food and
back home, Jonthan seagull views flying as a more meaningful aspect of
living. He practices flying whole the time without a master and
experiments with different modes of flight like low-flying,speed-flying
and aerobatics. Despite the disagreements and dismays of his parents he
continues his quest. He pushes his limits in what he can, frequently
failing but subsequently discovering new horizons in flight. His sole
motto as he puts it is to know what he can do and can not do. By pulling
himself hard he even encounters death but soon finds ways to come over
his difficulties. His spirit for flying outruns his depressed promises
to be a normal seagull. By the discovery of his breakthrough instead of
appreciation he faces exile. He accepts it since there was no way to
convince stubborn normal elder seagulls of the flock. He becomes an
outcast. But never casts out his love for flying. His every breathe
said 'never stop learning'. He practices what he learns and lives his
practice. He leaves and lives alone discovering many applications of
flight for survival. He perseveres.
But as human beings, we have got many ways in which to discover our
interest. Are we really ready to dedicate and persevere, like Jonathan,
in our calling despite the reluctance of the world or if it takes even
to be the outcast?.
2. Perfection
Spending a lifetime of dedication, living up to his limits, Jonathan
cruises up into a new level of living. He finds himself in a world that
he initially thinks as heaven and wonders at the sparse count of
seagulls there. But soon he discovers that it is another level in many
stages of living. And here also he does not forget his breathe 'never
stop learning'. He tests himself for his skills and finds it much easier
to push his limits. But in that world the way ahead was not pushing
limits but being limitless. Here author signifies being limitless as
being perfect. Jonathan, guided by his masters, finds his perfection in
flying by flying without flying. Strange but metaphorical, in a
spiritual sense it means rising out of the confines of space and time
,that is, to be absolutely free. By this he realizes that he no longer
has to fly and has no worries of missing anything. His quest was over.
He can be there anywhere he wishes at anytime he desires. But his lesson
was not complete though now his flying is perfect.
Really how many of us are ready to go that extra mile to find what
awaits,before satisfying ourselves with momentary success and temporary
joys in those limits we draw around ourselves? Are we ready to endure
for the bliss of perfection though many say nothing is perfect?
3. Purpose
Being perfect and reaching the peak of excellence could not satisfy
Jonathan. Throughout his life he believed in the truth of self
perfection and higher meaning for life. But now, working on love and
faith as his master suggested, he feels that self perfection is not
everything in life. He thinks his purpose in life is not just to be
perfect in flying but to wake his left behind flock from the darkness to
the beauty and the meaning of flying. Despite the fact that they still
look at him as an outcast, he sets out to help them realize their true
selves. He begins by guiding an outcast back to the flock making him
realize the meaning of love for his fellow seagulls. He gathers the
outcasts and train them in turn to train the other gulls. Though, in the
beginning the flock resisted them, slowly the younger gulls get
interested in the marvel of flying. Jonathan makes his students realize
their own selves and purposes. Denying their claims about him as divine
from his powers, Jonathan puts the divine as being who you truely are.
He imparts the true meaning of flight to a beloved student who learns
that he is no less a gull than Jonathan. They are all one in their
truest selves. And the true meaning of flight for a seagull was the
freedom. Freedom for all was the purpose.
Then we ask why life? Repeating, what is this life for?.
A seagull as a symbol of self and flying as the motto of the living,
Richard Bach makes us to look into our own lives and find who we really
are and what we can and can not. He tells that to be perfect is to be
limitless. So, as we learn to find our limits, we will move on to reach
them and further without stopping we shall push those limits for
perfection. And to share that perfection is the real purpose of living.
So reason for the life can be found if we are ready to search. From the
story of Jonathan Livingston seagull the reason I could find is simple.
And it is- Life is to persevere in your purpose unto perfection.
…the dark cloud slowly cools, in the breeze of realization that blow
as the winds of doubts are calmed and pours the light rain of- the
Answer.
"Heaven is being perfect"
[A post-comment-> the photographic illustrations by Russell Munson
are as fascinating as the story itself but more realistic. This book
will surely rouse an interest in flying as well as life.]
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About the illustrator(as given in the book):-
Russell Munson started taking pictures of aeroplanes as a child and has
been involved with flying and photography ever since. He owns a Piper
Super Cub, from which he took some of the pictures in this book.
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Book Review by : Ravikiran.B.S
: 19th Batch
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----- From OASIS : Thanks a lot for making this competition more better and knowledge sharing by your review ...
