FORBIDDEN FRUIT A story by Fazil Iskander - Essay Example

Essay: forbidden fruit; a story by Fazil Iskander Forbidden fruit reflects real life misery The short story forbidden fruitwas written by Russian author Fazil Iskander and was published in a book of other short stories by the same title in 1966.Forbidden fruit is a story about Fazil, his family as well as their pork eating white couple (Auntie Sonya and Uncle Shura).Fazil together with their family are devout Muslims and thus do not eat pork. The story is set in Abkhazia; where Fazil, his family and the white couple live as well as derive their livelihoods.

Fazil is constantly under the temptation of eating pork, but refuses every time he is offered. However one day, his sister accepts pork from Auntie Sonya and goes ahead to eat greedily as well as torture her brother Fazil by the way she eats in a tempting way. This result in Fazil’s decision to torture her as well; a plan which greatly backfires and lands Fazil the ‘perfect student’ in the wrong books of his father. Key words 2: Reading and Writing across the DisciplinesFazil begins the story with a brief exp[lanation of the muslim laws and what it forbids:eating of pork as well as drinking of alcohol.

Whereas eating of pork was strictly forbidden;drinking of alcohol was allowed without any restraint.Fazil goes on to narrate about his encounters with pork and the way it made him salivate as well as burn with desire. He had endless and wild dreams, fantasies as well as imaginations about how it would feel like eating pork. Though he had several opportunities of tasting and even eating it; he never for once broke the rule. He enjoyed the sweetness of self denial which also helped him overcome the pangs of desire.

Fazil usually felt morally superior to his friends and much enjoyed acting mysteriously.In their neighborhood; lived a nurse by the name of Sonya and they fondly called her Auntie Sonya. Auntie Sonya had lost her first husband in the civil war; but had been married once again by uncle Shura, whom Fazil loved very much. Fazil frequently visited their house and each time he was offered pork and refused. Thus;”they often ate pork and had offered it to me before, but I always firmly excused myself-which for some reason rather amused Uncle Shura.

”This clearly shows that Fazil was very serious about his Muslim religion and would never dare violate it.One day, Fazil’s sister joined him and was offered pork. After feigning hesitation for a short moment, she accepted the sandwich and started eating it. Fazil almost choked on his own tea on seeing his sister eating the pork. Fazil’s sister enjoyed it very much and did not seem to mind if there was anything wrong with it. This on the other hand loathed Fazil who saw it as an abomination and deserved a very big punishment.

Fazil expectantly waits for his sister to choke but to no avail. Eventually he left in such a hurry claiming that he had homework to do.On getting home, Fazil locked himself in his bedroom and sat thanking sweetly about his sister’s fall from grace. His sister tried talking to him while he slept but he assumed her. He only saw as a traitor who did not deserve his attention. The next day as the family sat eating dinner, Fazil hoped that he could report her to her father, and thus he tormented her just the way she had tormented him as she was eating pork at auntie Sonya’s house.

Fazil would later give his sister boiled onion (nightmare of their childhood) as a way of punishing her for eating fork at Auntie Sonya’s house. His brother would also join him and the two gave their share of their onions. Just as she had begun to get relieved and started telling