In Salman Rushdie's "Shame," the author draws a parallel between gravity—which we comprehend but can't fully explain—and the concept of attachment to our origins. He suggests that just as we understand gravity's effects, we struggle to understand why we feel connected to our birthplaces. This connection is often romanticized, likening individuals to trees with roots anchoring them to a specific location.

Rushdie questions the validity of this metaphor, implying that the idea of "roots" might be a simplistic notion used to maintain stability and conformity. He provocatively directs the reader to examine their own surroundings, suggesting that instead of physical roots, our ties to place may be more complex and less tangible than we assume.