He had picked up languages the way most sailors pick up diseases; languages were his gonorrhoea, his syphilis, his scurvy, his ague, his plague.
In Salman Rushdie's "The Enchantress of Florence," the protagonist's relationship with languages is depicted in a strikingly vivid manner. The comparison of languages to diseases highlights how he absorbs them effortlessly but with a sense of burden. Just as sailors contract ailments during their travels, he collects languages almost indiscriminately, indicating both an appreciation and a curse tied to this talent. This metaphor suggests that while multilingualism opens doors to new cultures and ideas, it can also lead to complications and emotional turmoil. The protagonist's linguistic fluency mirrors the unpredictable and sometimes painful experiences of life, emphasizing that knowledge and exposure also come with their own challenges. As he navigates through various languages, he grapples with the implications and responsibilities that come with understanding diverse forms of expression.
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