Jonathan Livingston Seagull : I DON'T GET IT

[gamarada717]

Ok.

....

I can't decide on what to say first about this book. I look at the front. I see this...

"THE GLORIOUS #1 BESTSELLER"

So I think, ,"This can't be that bad....it's a glorious #1 bestseller." This book is about seagulls, and how they learn to travel at like 297 mph, and then at the speed of thought.....yeah. There are pictures of seagulls every 5 or so pages. The seagull goes to like.....seagull heaven or something. Supposedly, I'm missing out on life if I have not read this book by Richard Bach. Supposedly, I'm an idiot if I don't understand it.

Our GT class went on a "teambuilding" field trip the other day, which included puzzles that incorperated teamwork, and eventually, we went on this ghetto ropes course thing. It was only 40 feet up and people were crying. Now I understand why this book about birds means so much to them....

Anyway, we are supposed to write about this book, mainly answering these questions....

1. What is this book about?
2. What is this book really about?
3. What does this book have to do with this class and the Ropes Course?

Here are my answers, the third one summed up a bit...

1. Seagulls.
2. Seagulls.
3. Teamwork.

Somebody help me here....If you've read the book, tell me what it's trying to say, because I just don't see it.

[Army]

JLS is about thinking for yourself, and believing in yourself. JLS realized that the flock has always done what the flock does, with no thought of what else it can do. JLS knew he could fly, but wondered why he wasn't allowed to fly higher or faster than the flock. When he did fly his highest, and dove down to fly "with a Falcons short wings", he screamed through the flock endangering everyone else.

This was supposed to show his being selfish with his new knowledge of flight (life), and not thinking about anyone elses feelings, thus creating a rift that was not appreciated by the elder gulls...

...however, some of the younger gulls saw his flight and questioned him about how he did it, for they too disliked the flock mentality and wanted to know how to become an individual.

JLS finally wanted to fly the highest possible, and the fastest possible, again without thinking of the consequences. His monster power dive drove him into the cliff, apparantly killing him. His asscent into what Richard Bach believed Heaven was like, resulted in his discovering, that you can be/do anything you want. But you must first get over your fears (remember, JLS was scared chicken about going really fast at first), and do your best to not endanger what is acceptable in society.

That is the lesson he brought back with him, to teach the younger gulls that they CAN do, or be, anything they wanted to. They must first learn, however, to compromise with societal norms so as to not bring danger or harm to anyone.

In your teamwork lesson, I think they want you to work as a group, yet use all ideas to accomplish the task. Teach those who can't pull themselves up a rope, how to trap it with their feet to create a step, instead of just screaming at them to "climb ya wussy"!

I may be a little off. After all, it HAS been almost 30 years since I read JLS:)

[aaron_mag]

An ex-girlfriend made me read this book. It was the beginning of the relationship when we were both still trying to impress each other so I read it. Personally I hated it and was forced to tell her so. Hmmmm maybe that was why it didn't last. :)

From what I remember Army has pretty much got it. Doesn't he live alone for awhile diving deep and catching fish rather than scavenging? He was able to live a "better" life by conquering his fear. The ropes class is also about conquering fear.

And don't worry. You aren't alone if you feel the book is dumb. The other one that someone made me read that was stupid was "The Way of the Peaceful Warrior". Seems to be my eternal fate to read books that "changed" a friend's life.... :D

[than205]

Hippy stuff! ;)
"Illusions" was better.

[-Jôker-]

what i hate about reading books for school is... i usualy take things a dif way than the teacher does and my outtake of the story is 'wrong' b/c its not like the teachers outtake... it makes me so mad. cmon theres more than just one thing that can be gotten out of a book o well i hope i never have to read 'jls'

[aaron_mag]

Originally posted by -Jôker-
what i hate about reading books for school is... i usualy take things a dif way than the teacher does and my outtake of the story is 'wrong' b/c its not like the teachers outtake... it makes me so mad. cmon theres more than just one thing that can be gotten out of a book o well i hope i never have to read 'jls'

Yeah that used to piss me off as well. :D Professors in college are more open to different interpretations.

[ZAust]

books.. i dont need no stinkin' books.

[-Carnifex-]

Didn't read any of the posts but www.antistudy.com