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   lmcfall Teacher
   College - Sophomore

   eNotes Editor

   The book begins with Jonathan Livingston Seagull bored with the materialism and sameness of his current life. There is nothing new for him to do, nowhere new to go. He develops a passion for flying, and in pursuing his passion, he becomes an outcast from his flock. As an exile, Jonathan continues to fly higher and higher, until he finds he has reached the peak of performance - he can fly no higher.

   Jonathan meets two wise, loving seagulls who take him to a higher level of society, where all the gulls love to fly, and he continues the sacred process of learning. Jonathan continues to grow, and to learn, but eventually he realizes that he can't really be free until he learns how to forgive - even to forgive his old flock, which turned him out.

   Jonathan realizes that he must stop being a student and become a teacher. He must go back to his old flock and help them share and understand his experience - to help them grow as he has grown. In doing so, Jonathan is true to his ideals, even though he knows that helping his old flock understand what he has learned will be difficult. He must share, and help others become strong, and to be able to forgive, as he has forgiven them.

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   Posted by lmcfall on Wednesday August 26, 2009 at 7:03 PM