https://padlet.com/bellap1718/8di0ivrwdj8pjzy6 "Midnight's Children" by Salman Rushdie en-us 2023-05-31 21:53:02 UTC 2026-03-16 16:43:57 UTC hello@padlet.com bellap1718 https://padlet.com/bellap1718/8di0ivrwdj8pjzy6/wish/2611000523 One of the central metaphors in "Midnight's Children" is the metaphor of India as a body. Throughout the novel, Salman Rushdie employs the human body as a metaphorical representation of the nation of India, connecting the physical characteristics of the body to the social, political, and historical aspects of the country. James Geary states "the unknown can only be made known through metaphor and analogy." (Geary, I is an Other) I think this is so prevalent in "Midnight's Children" because the metaphors in the book help us to see a greater meaning that would otherwise have been overlooked. ]]> 2023-05-31 21:57:39 UTC https://padlet.com/bellap1718/8di0ivrwdj8pjzy6/wish/2611000523 bellap1718 https://padlet.com/bellap1718/8di0ivrwdj8pjzy6/wish/2611001493 At the start of this book, Saleem Sinai, is born at the same time India gains its independence. Him being born is depicted as a metaphorical birth of the nation. Saleem describes his own birth as a "large nation coming unstitched," which shows the connection between his physical birth and the birth of a new India. In the book 'Metaphor: A Practical Introduction,' Kövecses discusses how metaphors can be used to convey complex ideas and concepts, such as the metaphor of India as a body.  "Metaphors are often used to communicate complex ideas that are difficult to express in literal language" (Kövecses, Metaphor: A Practical Introduction).]]> 2023-05-31 21:59:40 UTC https://padlet.com/bellap1718/8di0ivrwdj8pjzy6/wish/2611001493 bellap1718 https://padlet.com/bellap1718/8di0ivrwdj8pjzy6/wish/2611008515 In the novel, Saleem's family owns a pickle factory. The factory becomes a symbol of the nation's diversity and unity, as different ingredients come together to create a unique pickle. However, during the period of the State of Emergency in India, which is depicted in the novel, the factory is shut down and its unity is disrupted. This closure mirrors the suppression of individual freedoms and the breakdown of unity in the country during that period.]]> 2023-05-31 22:14:44 UTC https://padlet.com/bellap1718/8di0ivrwdj8pjzy6/wish/2611008515 bellap1718 https://padlet.com/bellap1718/8di0ivrwdj8pjzy6/wish/2611009060 Saleem and the other "Midnight's Children" share a telepathic connection, which represents the interconnectedness of the people of India. This telepathy serves as a metaphor for the communication and shared experiences of the nation's citizens. In the book it says "“I am the sum total of everything that went before me, of all I have been seen done, of everything done-to-me. I am everyone everything whose being-in-the-world affected was affected by mine. I am anything that happens after I'm gone which would not have happened if I had not come.”" Just as the body's nerves connect different parts of the body, the telepathic connection among the children symbolizes the interdependence and collective consciousness of the Indian people.]]> 2023-05-31 22:15:50 UTC https://padlet.com/bellap1718/8di0ivrwdj8pjzy6/wish/2611009060