The Matrix Inspired by a Seagull - Guest post by AM

Only when you thought that The Matrix was the greatest story every told on the big screen (first part only, never mind the sequels,) your entire universe crumbles and the bubble bursts on the discovery of a seagull that was written back in 1970.

As I am an avid reader of this blog, I was intrigued by the Don Veto's writing about Jonathan Livingston Seagull. I thought I must get a copy of this book and surely enough I got one during a short trip to London. After reading it I found a number of parallels with The Matrix, the movie. There is no doubt in my mind; the film makers borrowed a lot of ideas from the book. Here are a few that I found, the rest I leave to you as homework;

1- Jon Gull came from the world of the normal but he always thought there were more to the life he was living. "You've been down there, Neo. You already know that road. You know exactly where it ends. And I know that's not where you want to be." Trinity said.

2- Moving between the different levels of consciousness, first in the Matrix Neo served as a copper top, then as a crew member of the Nebuchadnezzar. Jon Gull also moved from the world of the Flock to the world of the Perfect Gull.

3- They thought Neo was the One. The Flock thought Jon was the Son of the Great Gull.

4- "Free your mind" Morpheus said. "Your whole body from wingtip to wingtip is nothing more than your thought itself." Chiang said.

5- Neo had a mentor. Jon had a mentor.

6- Neo can cross over between the Matrix world and the real world through the headset. Jon does it through a Perfect thought.

7- Neo died and came back to life because he did not obey the rules. Jon helped Fletcher cross back from the dead by disregarding the limits of his thinking.

8- Neo can fly. Jonathan Livingston Seagull can fly too. Okay, I know I am getting a bit silly here but it is true. They both can fly.

These are only some of the similarities I chose to list. There are others if you are interested in looking for them. I could not find an Agent Smith per se, but I did find those that though Jon should be killed because he is the Devil.
Now, I also thought there were a lot of parallels between Jon Gull and my life at the office. But this is the subject of another discussion.

AM

About AM

AM is a good friend of mine, we have many talks together and quite a few original posts on this blog where inspired by these talks. Here is a picture of AM.