Essay “how is the atmosphere does Salman Rushdie create in chapter 1?’

Salman Rushdie sets a sad atmosphere in chapter 1. To create the atmosphere he uses descriptive language, word devices, imaginary items and personification. The author uses personification by giving the city a forgotten name. ‘There was once, in the country of Alifbay, a sad city, the saddest of cities, a city so ruinously sad that it had forgotten its name.’ ‘It stood by a mournful sea full of glumfish, which were so miserable to eat that they made people belch with melancholy.’ This also uses personification in saying that the city can stand. Furthermore, it uses glumfish which are imaginary, creating an idea of how gloomy the city is.

Salman Rushdie sets a sad atmosphere where everyone is blue. Next, he introduces the only happy characters in Alifbay, Haroun, Rashid (the storyteller) and Soraya. ‘There lived a happy young fellow by the name of Haroun, the only child of the storyteller Rashid Khalifa whose cheerfulness was famous throughout that unhappy metropolis, this had earned him not one but two nicknames.’ Some people love Rashid enlightening them with his stories but others do not agree therefore he has two names. Shah of Blah (the bad name) and the Ocean of Notions (the good name). This is similar to how the author has created a sad city and a magical city.

The author also introduces Haroun’s neighbours called Mr & Mrs Sengupta. They are always talking to Haroun’s family. Mrs Sengupta is a kind woman who cares for Haroun but Mr Sengupta is a man who Haroun dislikes. ‘Mr Sengupta ignored Haroun, but was always talking to Soraya, which Haroun didn’t like, particularly as the fellow would launch into criticisms whenever he thought Haroun wasn’t listening. “. He’s got his head stuck in the air and his feet off the ground. Life is not a storybook or a joke shop. All this fun will come to no good. ‘ Then he convinces Soraya to run off somewhere else with him. This changes Haroun’s mood and makes him angry adding to the emotion. These character plots could set the scene for the rest of the story.

The author uses a variety of simple, compound and complex sentences to change or elaborate on a certain mood. ‘So now kindly desist from this Iffing and Butting and be happy with the stories you enjoy” Except that one day Haroun asked one question too many, and then hell broke loose.’ By using a compound sentence Salman Rushdie changed the mood from a calm, relaxed mood into a tense one. He also creates suspense because that is the end of the paragraph.

In chapter 1 Salman Rushdie sets a sad atmosphere. As the paragraphs progress Haroun and his father enter the magical world of fantasy where they meet new characters with new personalities. In chapter 1 the author refers to morbid times such as ‘had to pay rent to local gangsters’ he then changes the mood dramatically in chapter 2 ‘with its fields of gold and its silver mountains’ This is a big difference in atmosphere and plot. Salman Rushdie is very clear when he changes the atmosphere.