Salman Rushdie's "step Across This Line" in Post Colonial Literature

A certain thought must have been given on constructing an essay on crossing the frontiers. Rushdie makes the essay as interesting as possible by giving it an apt title, on a persuasive and encouraging note. He begins the essay by recounting the tale of the beginning of the terrestrial life, the best example of crossing the frontiers. The historical and social examples that can be thought about on this topic are many, but to have brought about such a classic and well known example is a testimony to the author’s brilliance. One feature noted in this essay is the use of such subtle and crisp examples from myths, allegories, history and society that drive the ideas home.

The scene of “that triumphant crossing” as is described in his words, “the exhausted entity gasping on the unfamiliar” is a phrase well suited to describe the modern day migrators who risk everything they have to find a way out. Rushdie also attacks the usually accepted ideals behind such frontier crossings such as heroism, daring or adventurous spirit. “They were just fish who by chance learned how to crawl.” When the question of existence itself becomes a problem, the necessity turns the action into something of a biological nature.

Every act of frontier crossing or transgression, be it literal, metaphorical or moral involves a transformation into something new. (“To cross a frontier is to be transformed.”) The fact that the tendency to cross frontiers is innate in us, (“In our deepest natures, we are frontier-crossing beings.), and the fact that we are story-telling animals as well, are two points that can be clubbed together to form a powerful statement about new literatures.

The adventures of Alice in wonderland is notably one of the most popular stories for children that carries more layers of deeper meaning. Rushdie explains it better, perceiving Alice through the angle of a migrant. Looking through the miniature world, everything seems perfect to the migrant, but once she alters herself to fit into her new world, she sees through the charade of power, and by unmaking the world of her imagination, she finds herself again. It is interesting to note that the concepts of alienation, displacement, identity crisis are explained through this simple tale for children.

It is interesting to note his viewpoint on territories- that even the freest of free societies are unfree at the edges. People pretend to be passive and docile, lest they would be subject to scrutiny. A curious human nature to resort to complexity at other times- to clothe their statements and viewpoints in the paraphernalia of complexity and that at the edges, simplicity is sought. People are encouraged to be one dimensional, to be simple. Yet people who are guilty are alluding frontiers all the time. There is a duality of frontiers to be seen here. A frontier of strict authorities bearing down upon us and a frontier of crowded, imperfect borders.

Then again,