Haroun and the Sea of Stories by Salmon Rushdie stresses the importance of courage. Haroun, whom is the main character in the novel, goes on an adventure to save his father's Gift of Gulb. In the process Haroun learns why courage is important. First Haroun learns that courage gives one the power to change things. Second, , Haroun starts to understand many outcomes of the events that have passed are because of courage. Lastly, courage has the power to effect someone's life. Therefore, Rushdie's novel suggests the importance of courage in life is by being able to confront the things that scare me the most.
First, Haroun learns that courage gives one the power to change things. He overruled Khattam-Shud from destroying his father's Gift of Gulb. "Something has to be done (Rushdie 27)." Haroun understood the importance of his father's gift, therefore he decided to confront Khattam-Shud in order to give back his father the precious gift, story telling. By saving Princess Batcheat, he also saved his father since he was a spy. "Now a quarter of Pages led a man onto the balcony. The man standing & shivering on the palace balcony between Prince Bolo and General Kitab was Haroun's father, Rashid Khalifa (page 92)." Because of his father's knowledge of the location of Princess Batcheat and Harouns courage on going to save her, he was able to save his father's Gift of Gulb and his life. It took Haround a lot of courage and proved that having courage can change someone's life.
Second, Haroun starts to understand many outcomes of the events that have passed are because of courage. Haroun's mom returning home showed Haroun that she had courage. "The front door of the Khalifa apartment opened and there stood Soraya Khalifa, as large as life and twice as beautiful! (page 210)" The courage to admit she was wrong affected Soraya to come back home to Rashid and Haroun. It proved to Haroun that the events that happen are because of courage.
