Point of View

The omniscient narrator of The Satanic Verses is reputed to be Satan himself. He intrudes into the narrative in the first person on only a few occasions. During these occasions, the narrator teases the reader with hints as to his identity. This clever ploy by the author works because it literally mimics the historical legend of the satanic verses. Was it Satan or the Archangel Gabriel who spoke to the Prophet Muhammad in his mountain cave? Does the holy book of Islam contain satanic verses? Do all holy books contain Satan's words? By not directly revealing the identity of his narrator, Salman Rushdie intentionally leaves his audience to contemplate these questions. This remarkably witty plot device drives the reader to deeply consider whether such holy books should be adhered to literally. At the same time, this clever literary scheme leaves Rushdie open to the criticism from...