Word: flock
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Dates: during 1970-1979
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...incredible breakthrough. But the Flock is blind to the bright future Jonathan has opened to knowledge and perfect flight. They cast him out. Alone now, Jonathan improves his flying-night navigation, slow rolls, loops, the gull bunt. Eventually two radiant gulls who can fly precise formation with him appear and take him to what he (and the reader) at first thinks is heaven...
...level, he gets a heavy message from Sullivan. Unlike Jonathan, most gulls are interested only in eating, and so do not progress. "Learn nothing," says Sullivan, "and the next world is the same as this one, all the same limitations and lead weights to overcome." Unwilling to abandon the Flock for this elitist salvation, Jonathan goes back to his old level and acquires seven flying disciples. Despite the old ban by the Elders in the Flock, he acquires more would-be acrobatic candidates. One has a crippled wing, but Jonathan says: "You have the freedom to be yourself, your true...
...free," says Jonathan. Maynard flies. The Flock talks of miracles and says that Jonathan is the son of the Great Gull himself. Jonathan is distressed. It is only the idea of perfection that has done the work. Then Jonathan leaves, counseling his disciples to love...
...Flock, even in its stupidity...
...angels swarm over his harpsichord. The voice comes through to Bach like a three-dimensional movie, and as Bach writes it all down with a green ballpoint pen, it shows-and-tells the story of Jonathan Livingston Seagull. Precisely at the moment when Jonathan is cast out by the Flock, it stops. For weeks young Bach tries to figure out ways of ending Jonathan by himself. "It sounds ridiculous," he admits easily, "but I just couldn't think of a way to finish...