Haroun and the Sea of Stories Lesson Plan

What is Haroun criticizing when he tells Butt, “You swallow every spooky story you hear, even the ones you find in other people’s minds”?

Haroun is saying that Butt believes what he hears and reacts to it without first considering whether a story is true or worth being frightened of. As a result, Butt falls apart over something that Haroun was thinking about when it might not even come to pass. It’s very negative and a waste of energy and emotional wellbeing.

When Haroun looks down at the poisoned Ocean, he thinks, “It’s our own fault… We lost touch with our beginnings, with our roots, our Wellspring, our Source. Boring, we said, not in demand, surplus to...