As easy as it is to take advantage of simplicity, some authors understand the depths of the complex world enough to transcend boundaries and speak both to the fruitful guiltlessness of youth and the seeds of the world , more difficult to swallow. In 1990, the famous Anglo-Indian writer and essayist Salman Rushdie published Haroun and the Sea of ​​Stories, following the controversy of his last novel The Satanic Verses, (which earned Rushdie a fatwa from Iran's spiritual leader, the 'Ayatollah Khomeini, who ordered his execution) The story involves a boy named Haroun, son of a famous storyteller, who, after his parents separate and his father loses his skills as a storyteller, escapes to another planet where the stories come from. Aided by a water genie named Iff and a bird-machine called Butt the Hoopoe, Haroun finds himself at the center of a war waged by an evil figure called Khattam Shud who pollutes stories and language. Almost every aspect of the story can be read more deeply than just its literal function within the book. The relationship between Haroun and his father mirrors how the fatwa affected Rushdie's family. The character of Khattam Shud and his call for silence serve as a commentary on the role that power and religion have on free speech. Haroun and the Sea of ​​Stories is an artistic response to the universally relevant themes of free speech and oppression as they affect Rushdie personally and the world as a whole. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay A major theme in Haroun and the Sea of ​​Stories is the influence and power of politicians and how they influence art and free speech. After Rashid loses his abilities, he is hired by two politicians to campaign on their behalf. He finds himself unable to speak to the crowd and uninspired by any feelings of positivity which is all politicians want to hear. This metaphor almost speaks for itself, giving voice to the notion that many governments claim to allow free speech under the unspoken guideline that art can only be propaganda. Rushdie dared to challenge him and was silenced and oppressed for it. By showing how Rashid is not allowed to express his sadness, Rushdie expresses his own lack of inspiration and frustration, being silenced by his government. These themes are further expanded upon later in the novel when Butt the Hoopoe questions the speech restrictions placed on the Chupwallas who are at war with the Gups. Butt asks, “What's the point of giving people free speech if you then say they don't have to use it in the same way? And isn't the power of the word the greatest power of all? Then surely it must be exercised to the fullest” (Rushdie, 119). Rushdie's voice comes from here, criticizing the fatwa and all restrictions on free speech in the real world. This shows how Rushdie tells the story of a broken family, a sad allegory of Rushdie's emotional state and how he was personally affected by real world problems. Rushdie's 1988 novel The Satanic Verses leads to the infamous fatwa, placed by Ayatollah Khomeini, demanding Rushdie be killed. Rushdie writes about this through metaphor in Haroun and the Sea of ​​Stories. The character of Khattam Shud is an evil and powerful figure who is against all use of expression and language. He has declared war on the GUPs who care for the Sea of ​​Stories and promote imagination and creativity. His menacing reputation is given a dark context in the novel. “Khattam Shud is the enemy of all], 1991.