Jonathan Livingston seagull: A review

It is about an ordinary bird who is jaded with his narrowed syllabus of life. With his tireless gusto for the love of flying, Jonathan Livingston seagull breaks the boundary of confinement and sets high on what other gulls dread to pursue.

As to many seagulls, flying is limited only to searching foods and survival but for Jonathan Livingston seagull, flying means pushing beyond the unknown, conquer fear and anticipate the adversaries.

However in his quest to ascend higher, he falls myriad times, sometimes even to the brink of causing his own life. He gets lambasted for his raw courage, not only from other seagulls for breaching their conventions but also from his own parents. Eventually failing to comply with his other colleagues, Jonathan is outcast from the flock.

Alone and determined, Jonathan keeps on escalating higher and higher until he is joined by two other farsighted seagulls. He is pleased to find seagulls of his type there, and because of his perseverance he earns the title, one in a million birds. It is in this wisest flock of birds that Jonathan perfects every move and decides to change the fate of other seagulls, whose syllabus has always been limited to squawking and finding foods.

With a positive motive, he glides down to earth to find others like him. Quite surprisingly, Jonathan conquers hearts of many gulls and gathers his first six disciples who had been outcast. Later we come to know that Jonathan is the pinnacle of inspiration for others.

The story never fails to inspire readers’ till the turn of last page.

Through the metaphor of the story, the author gives us insights on the importance of following dreams resolutely whether or not; it runs contrary to the opinions of others.

Likewise, all of us have our own “Jonathan Livingston seagull” perched within us. If we are not wise enough to let our seagull spread its wings wider, we don’t realize how far we would soar. Perhaps, we might even wake up one day to only repent over our action.

Dream big, take risk and move out of syllabus often.