The Ruby Slippers

            Life to me is a journey that we take. And on that journey there are points that we use to identify who we are. These points are used to give us our identity. At some point, some people will do whatever it takes to gain that identity if they haven’t already done so. They will sell their soul for some sort of definition of themselves.

            The story At the Auction of the Ruby Slippers by Salman Rushdie takes place at an auction for a pair of ruby slippers. It seemed that these slippers could have represented many things. To me they could have represented an identity.

Throughout the story, and the way it was told, it seemed like everyone at the auction was searching for something to give them some sort of identity. At the end of the story the narrator said “…we fear we are not- somebody.” (p.103) This made it seem like the narrator was at the auction to buy something that would give him some sort of identity. He had broken up with his cousin/girlfriend and felt empty without her in his life. He felt that he needed her no matter what the cost and would do and spend anything to get her and to fill that hole in his life and redefine him.

            Everyone that attended the auction seemed to have a sort of evil around them. In the story there is every sort of person there such as the rich, the poor, junkies, and all types of races. This evil was brought out because the people in attendance, like the narrator, were missing something and would do whatever was needed to gain that missing part and their identity. “Family trees, coats of arms, royal lineages will be up for sale, and into any of these one may insert any name one chooses…” (p. 102) At these auctions you could buy whatever you wanted to be. It sounds pretty disturbing, but that is the way it is sometimes.

            Basically the story is telling us everything has its price and everything can be obtained, even someone’s dignity and soul. Some people will give up whatever is necessary to get what they desire.