Haroun

Haroun is a fictional character and the protagonist of Salman Rushdie's novel Haroun and the Sea of Stories (1990). He is the son of Rashid Khalifa, a renowned storyteller known as the Shah of Blah, whose gift begins to falter after Haroun's mother leaves the family. To restore his father's storytelling ability and the health of the world’s storytelling, Haroun undertakes a magical journey.

With the water genie Iff, Haroun travels from his home country to the Sea of Stories, a realm where stories are tangible and are guarded by the cities of Gup and the silent land of Chup. Haroun, along with companions such as Butt the Hoopoe, must confront Khattam-Shud, the embodiment of silence, who seeks to corrupt or extinguish stories. The quest centers on rescuing the Sea of Stories and rekindling Rashid's talent, as well as restoring access to stories for ordinary people.

The novel is widely read as a fable about censorship, the value of imagination, and the importance of free expression. It uses wordplay and fantastical imagery to explore how stories shape identity, culture, and personal resilience. Since its publication, Haroun has been discussed in literary studies as a modern fairy tale and a prominent example of postcolonial fantasy.