Gibran Khalil's the prophet review

 

The Prophet is a book that could serve as a fundamental element in soul’s enlightenment. It is a book that can lay the foundations of modern wisdom. It influenced and still influences people to wander within its pages like labyrinth that would lead them to a visionary insight, that is unprecedented. The book consists of poetic prose, where the author visits the temples of intangible aspects such as love, marriage, crime and punishment, religion, beauty and death. He also pours some wisdom in the readers’ minds about tangible aspects such as clothes and houses by the tongue of the main character Al Mustafa. Al Mustafa resided in the city of Orphalese for twelve years. When the time of departure came the people moved to plea to him to not leave them after he left an impression on the most valuable asset they have; their souls. He then stood and spoke his heart out about all what they asked him about before leaving.

            The book is written by the famous philosopher, poet, painter and writer Gibran Khalil Gibran. Gibran was born in Lebanon, in 1883. After his father entered jail upon a certain conviction, his mother took him and his siblings and emigrated to the US. Gibran was eleven at that time and in America he entered a school where he learned the fundamentals of the English language. After three years, Gibran was sent to Lebanon to study the Arabic and French languages. Gibran returned to Boston, US in the year 1899, where he encountered the death of his young sister and then his younger brother prior to losing his mother the following year. Gibran was not oppressed by these atrocities and decided to write and paint to his heart’s content. He met Mary Huskel in 1904 and later she became his patron. Gibran’s writing career began when his first article titled ‘Vision’ which was published in Al Muhajer Lebanese newspaper. The following years witnessed the publishing of many books all with similar themes characterised by a deep understanding of the mystery of the soul; a philosophical approach to life influenced by his life experiences. His writings gained him fame and hatred, as many of his writings criticised religious figures and were controversial in nature. Moreover, Gibran wrote to a certain sector that were open to bold notions and an eccentric way of writing. Gibran is the highest selling poet after Shakespeare and Laozi. He died in the year 1931, after spreading and selling wisdom to the hearts of people with no return but his inner satisfaction. His life was based on mystic yet wonderful manifestations. He looked to everything in the world with a totally different perspective, a perspective rarely found in today’s world.

            His masterpiece, The Prophet, sold over nine million copies in America alone. It was compared to the sales of the Holy Bible for many reasons. The prophet is an epitome of guidance through the confusions of life. The confusions that are caused by the materialistic view of the blessings of our life. Everybody is in a perpetual turmoil, aspiring to have more and more of everything. This causes the people to be lost in the maze they created. The prophet can serve as a map to help you gain awareness of many pivotal elements in life, that you ignore in your journey to have more.

            Its literary value is substantial due to the eccentric use of language and the extensive use of the figurative language. Gibran uses a lot of analogies linking many abstract notions to nature, which provide the reader with a vivid, complete picture. The book is full of many rich elements of the English literature creating a new dimension to writing. The Prophet provides descriptions of one’s desires and factors responsible for facilitating life. It does not provide the reader with a definite answer to many questions one discovers during his lifetime. Rather, it serves as the compass that points to the way but you have to ride your own mind to reach.

            One wonderful element in The Prophet is its lack of one distinct interpretation. Many of Gibran’s awe-inspiring words in the book can be interpreted in many ways. Furthermore, it can be interpreted in a manner relevant to our time. For instance, he points that many of us are actually imprisoned by our claim to freedom that it becomes a burden. He also points that law makers mould it to meet their own aspirations, which is completely true in today’s world.

            One negative aspect of The Prophet is its sophisticated approach which would not reach the minds of many people. Among whom are people that greatly in need to this kind of writing. Gibran directed this book to a sector of people that would certainly comprehend his words vehemently, but others too deserve a sip of this stream of wisdom.

            I would highly recommend this book to the people of a broad horizon of thoughts and who are open to exploring a totally new horizon. It would certainly touch any reader to the extent that one would find himself re-evaluating almost every facet of his life. It will lead any reader to wander in the mere passages of his consciousness searching for answers; and simultaneously one would unveil more questions. The prophet would cause a person to reconcile with his soul. It would make him or her fade away from oblivion inflicted by life that blinds one’s heart.

 

Rating: 9.4/10