Salman Rushdie’s ‘Knife’: A Powerful Account of Survival, Art, and Freedom of Expression

Renowned novelist Salman Rushdie’s latest book, “Knife – Meditations After An Attempted Murder,” offers a gripping and gripping account of his near-fatal attack at the hands of a 24-year-old Shia Muslim man from New Jersey. Rushdie’s memoir not only serves as a return to writing for the novelist, but also as a quest to understand the motives behind the violent incident that forever changed his life.

Rushdie’s decision to confront the “elephant-in-the-room” and question the attack demonstrates his remarkable determination to persist as a writer and as a man, even in the face of terror. After surviving a death sentence from Ayatollah Khomeini in 1989, issued in response to his novel “The Satanic Verses,” Rushdie refused to let the fatwa define him. Instead, he continued to write novels and refused to be silenced by the threats against him.

Knife explores Rushdie’s personal journey of recovery and his brave decision to delve into the painful reality of the attack. Rushdie, already scarred by his experiences, used writing as his means of owning and confronting the violence that had befallen him. With powerful descriptions, he vividly portrays the brutality of the knife blows that nearly took his life and left him profoundly scarred.

Through his memoir, Rushdie offers a nuanced and introspective exploration of the heavy toll the attack exacted on his physical and mental well-being. In the face of nightmares, depression, and the loss of his right eye and the majority of his left hand’s function, Rushdie’s resilience shines through. Supported by the love of his wife and family, he emerges as a symbol of free expression, refusing to be a mere victim and instead embracing his scars.

The motive behind the attack by Hadi Matar, Rushdie’s 24-year-old assailant, remains a puzzle, adding complexity to Rushdie’s quest for understanding. Matar committed the crime before a crowd of a thousand witnesses and later confessed to the assault, but has nevertheless pleaded not guilty. The trial, yet to take place, has been delayed due to Rushdie’s published account potentially serving as important evidence.

Rushdie’s portrayal of Matar, whom he refers to as “the A.,” reveals his dismissal and lack of interest in his attacker, deeming him “simply irrelevant.” While Rushdie reflects on the cast of mind of the man who aimed to murder him, the memoir does not go into extensive detail about Matar’s background or his acquaintances. Remarkably, Rushdie’s efforts to understand his attacker primarily center around imagined dialogues rather than investigative methods.

Rushdie’s book touches on the broader theme of individual liberties, particularly of free speech, which resonates deeply in the wake of the attack. The near-fatal assault propelled Rushdie into a role far bigger than his own personal narrative, becoming an emblem for the freedom to voice one’s thoughts. The profound importance of this subject is emphasized by the immense challenges facing it today: the rising threats of religious extremism, ideological fanaticism, and censorship from various actors.

This memoir is Rushdie’s way of reclaiming his agency, using language as his ultimate weapon. While the scars remain, both literal and figurative, Rushdie’s account transcends the limitations of his physical trauma. It is a poignant reminder that the fight for free expression continues, as potent and essential as ever.