In The Satanic Verses, the magic lamp symbolizes Saladin Chamcha’s complicated relationship with his Indian heritage. The lamp, which belongs to his father, Changez Chamchawala, is believed to bring good fortune. For Saladin, the lamp represents the cultural and familial heritage he seeks to distance himself from in his quest to assimilate into British society. This desire to distance himself from India begins, in part, because of how his father treats him, which includes not allowing him to touch the lamp. Over time, the magic lamp evolves into a metaphor for Saladin’s struggle with his identity and the realization that he cannot entirely sever ties with his heritage. It reflects his internal conflict between rejecting his roots to become “English” and the deep-seated cultural inheritance that shapes his sense of self. When Saladin essentially cuts himself off from Changez, Changez tells him that he will not inherit the lamp. However, when Saladin returns to India and reconciles with his Changez, he inherits the lamp, after all, which represents the return of his Indian identity and heritage.
The Magic Lamp Quotes in The Satanic Verses
The promise of the magic lamp infected Master Salahuddin with the notion that one day his troubles would end and his innermost desires would be gratified, and all he had to do was wait it out; but then there was the incident of the wallet, when the magic of a rainbow had worked for him, not for his father but for him, and Changez Chamchawala had stolen the crock of gold. After that the son became convinced that his father would smother all his hopes unless he got away, and from that moment he became desperate to leave, to escape, to place oceans between the great man and himself.