Ruby Slippers

          “We do not know the limits of their powers.  We suspect that these limits may not exist” (Rushdie 88).  Today’s society is more concerned about the materialistic aspects of life.  They believe that the more “stuff” they have will make them appear more powerful or of higher stature.  Some people think that the more they have the happier they are.  These are the people who are occasionally the type that are not that happy and are missing some important element in their life, so they fill it by buying toys or things they think would better their lives.

          Society is so stuck on the fact that the person who finishes first with the most “stuff” is the most successful.  They believe it to be a symbol of who they are trying to be.  Society doesn’t use the objects they buy for the simple practical purpose they were made for; they use them for show and to flash around.  This leads to greed, which takes over parts of people lives in a negative affect.  “We value very little more highly than our rage, which gives us, in our opinion, the moral high ground” (Rushdie 89).

          In the collection of short stories East, West, by Salman Rushdie, there is a story in there titled At the Auction of the Ruby Slippers.  Rushdie uses satire to explain just how our society looks upon the pointless material things that really don’t hold a whole lot of power.  There is a pair of ruby slippers they are going to be auctioning off.  Everyone, no matter if they are a “somebody” or not come to see these slippers.   They try to be the “most powerful” person by being the highest bidder.  He explains how everyone comes to see what type of power these slippers may hold, if there really is even a type of power that they hold exists. 

          “Wizards, Lions, Scarecrows are in plentiful supply…Tin Men on account…Witches bide their time…living gargoyles…One corner is occupied entirely by Totos” (Rushdie 89).  These represent all the different types of little people in our society.  No matter whom they might be, or from what class they belong to, everyone has this acquisitiveness inside of them.  They want the best, what makes them look and feel the most powerful.  But, money can’t buy happiness

          The auctioneers are what represent the government; they are big brother watching over all the little people.  All the little wizards, lions, scarecrow, tin men, and witches are the little scavengers in the wild, the consumers supporting the economy.  The slippers are what represent the materialistic things in life, what we think we need to have in order for us to feel complete, feel like we are home.  “We revere the ruby slippers because we believe they can make us invulnerable to witches (and there are so many sorcerers pursuing us nowadays)” (Rushdie 92). 

          Because of how fast greed spreads, and society just can’t get enough to fulfill their selfishness, the economy is rapidly declining.  If everyone took a step back to look at what is most important, and realized that we don’t really need everything that we think we do, and then we wouldn’t have to deal with all the problems our world faces today.  Everyone wants to keep raising the prices of living just so they can make a little more money.  What there needs to happen is to create a balance, get back on track and work together.  It’s not the materialistic things that are important in life, what good is money and possessions if you aren’t truly happy.  “You say, ‘If I had a little more, I should be very satisfied.’ You make a mistake.  If you are not content with what you have, you would not be satisfied if it were doubled” (Charles Haddon Spurgeon).