I dont want it for its religious value: The Importance of Object in Salman Rushdies "The Prophet's Hair"
This 3-page undergraduate essay considers Salman RushdieÂ’s short story "The Prophet's Hair", focussing especially on the protagonist Hashim and the importance of the object of the relic in the story. This paper considers the importance of the relic in RushdieÂ’s story, arguing that the treatment of the relic in the story reveals important ideas about post-colonialism. The paper first examines the nature of the relic as symbol. The relic symbolizes the WestÂ’s fascination with Eastern mysticism, but also suggests the ways the East pokes fun of Western eagerness to find the magic in mundane objects and realities. The relic further symbolizes the corrupting power of abstract ideas such as power and religion, especially when unscrupulous individuals try to make those ideas tangible. Secondly, this paper considers the importance of the movement of the relic, suggesting that the slippage which occurs as the relic moves from the shrine, to HashimÂ’s house, and back to the shrine, suggests the slippage which occurs when individuals or populations cross state or cultural borders. Finally, this paper considers the importance of the relic as a collectable. In its conclusion, this paper suggests the beneficial messages which can be read from this story.
