Research Paper on:
Rushdie/Thematic similarities/Ayesha and Gibreel

Unformatted Sample Text from the Research Paper:
of Gibreel Farishta speaks to the notion of religious fundamentalism, defiance against conventionalism and the search for self-identity. Clearly, the marriage between politics and religion represents the fundamental basis  upon which Rushdie crafts his novel; it is with a significant amount of social courage and literary prowess that he so eloquently weaves the thematic parallels between Ayesha and Gibreel.  "Modern novels are praised for their courage in exposing hypocrisy, challenging tradition, exploring forbidden themes" (The "Rushdie Affair"). To analyze how integral the thematic parallels between Ayesha and  Gibreel are to the overall importance of Rushdies point is to understand the abrasive nature between religion and politics. "...As we know from the great writers of every age,  the revolt against convention can be a sort of faith, a conviction as deep as what it tries to overthrow. In a mature resolution of this tension we may  get a reflection of the positive elements of tradition outside its dogmatic straitjacket" (Rushdies Moral Hegira). II. DEFINING THE PARALLELS Criticizing extremism is the focal point of Rushdies thematic  parallels between Ayesha and Gibreel. Defiantly questioning the validity of religious fanaticism as it relates to global politics, the author chooses to portray this relationship as one built upon  and surviving from an incongruous association perpetuated by greed and power. The student can readily surmise that the global resurgence of religion that occurred in the 1970s served to  be a platform for fundamentalist interpretation with regard to religious scriptures, a reawakening that has been instrumental in a significant distortion of traditional religious interpretation. As religion has become  globalized over the past three decades, it has taken on a decidedly different fa?ade: that of what is contrary to all it has represented in the past. "This claim