Elisabeth Jeremko

I enjoyed “The Approach to Al-Mu’Tasim” from start to finish, but what I thought really enriched the story was the nod to Attar in the footnote at the end of the story. It is quite amazing how Borges could whiz through such a seemingly complex story and long journey for the main character, still managing to make a coherent and rather descriptive piece. Borges mentions much detail, such as rungs being missing on an iron ladder, but does not detail the trials and tribulations all along the way. The reader receives a small glimpse or almost summary of this hugely significant series of events for the law student. I wonder what the significance of the student being a law student would be. If he is a law student, one would think him to adhere to universal moral codes, understand the nature of criminals, and not want to find the woman of the caste of thieves. So, the student being a law student, is an interesting pick that Borges made. I loved the footnote about the “conference of the birds” because when I researched the work written long ago on the internet, I found the story really beautiful. So for Borges to use that as an inspiration and understanding how its message could tie to the story –that is, God being diffuse or as a total entity, not set apart from the universe, nature, or humanity -- I found the story to be much more telling and moving.