Jonathan Livingston Seagull, Richard Bach

Book Reviews English Short Stories

This is the story of a seagull. All the other seagulls of the flock are centered on food. They use their wings to fly the short distances to find fish. Jonathan Seagull is different. He loves to fly. Instead of food, his purpose in life is flying; higher, lower, quicker, slower, better and easier. But as he spends his whole days practicing, he is rejected by his flock and then finally banished as an Outcast. But he keeps on learning, learning to fly.

The meaning this book has for me, is especially, that I shouldn’t let myself be limited by what is around me. I should strive to learn and to improve myself, be free… and pay attention. Ignoring the world is like ignoring progress. Of course I won’t achieve perfection and I’ll never be completely free, unlike Jonathan was in the book, but I should go as far as I can.
The story also has other interpretations: Whatever people do to you, you should forgive them and keep loving them, help them. The only limit is yourself. With practice the student can become the master.
But I’m starting to sound like a fortune teller and I don’t like dissection of books, so I’ll leave it here and just add that I liked the book, it made me chase a little after some old dreams, and made me think about myself.

Ayame

1 Comment

  1. Touche. Outstanding arguments. Keep up the great work.

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