Haroun and the Sea of Stories

The most distinct feature of Khattam-Shud’s reign over Chup is the creation and enforcement of the so-called Silence Laws. Butt the Hoopoe asks, “Is not the Power of Speech the greatest Power of them all? Then surely it must be exercised to the full?” (119). The bird frames the question as one of duty. It is not enough for free speech to exist. Those who have the freedom of speech must appreciate it enough to exercise it to the full.

In the case of author Salman Rushdie, the mere act of writing Haroun was an act of exercising his right to freedom of speech. Khattam-Shud is a character analogous to the Ayatollah who decreed a death sentence on Salman Rushdie after deeming his previous novel, The Satanic Verses, to be blasphemous against Islam and the prophet Muhammad.

Khattam-Shud understands that in the absence of free speech—or no speech, in this case—there can be no dissent. The Silence Laws go even further. If people are not allowed to speak, they cannot tell their fellow citizens about themselves. This leads to an ability to empathize, commiserate, celebrate, and bond with one another. The consequences of the Silence Laws are clear when the Chupwalas backstab each other on the battlefield: They do not trust each other because they have never had the chance to know each other well.