The Satanic Verses

In the days after the police take Saladin away, Rosa begins telling Gibreel stories from her past. As Rosa is talking, Gibreel thinks about how he no longer feels in control of himself. He does not know why he did not help Saladin and regrets his inaction. Additionally, Gibreel realizes that he has completely ignored his quest to find Allie (Alleluia Cone). He wonders whether there is something wrong with him.

Rosa’s narrative is filled with memories of her time in Argentina, where she lived with her husband, Enrique, on their vast estate. Rosa reveals that her marriage to Enrique was more of a necessity than a love match. Enrique’s passion was reserved for birds, leaving Rosa longing for something more. She would often walk out into the plains at night, lying on her back to gaze at the stars and feel a deep sense of joy and wonder.

Gibreel finds himself increasingly drawn into Rosa’s stories, which transport him to the past. Rosa’s stories reveal her longings and regrets, particularly regarding her relationship with Martin de la Cruz, a man with whom she was in love. As Rosa talks about Martin, Gibreel experiences strange physical sensations, including a painful tugging in his navel. One night, Rosa tells Gibreel that he looks just like Martin, which causes him intense pain.

A few days later, Rosa’s birthday arrives, so Gibreel takes her into a nearby village to buy her cake and champagne. Gibreel, now fully in love with Rosa for reasons he cannot explain, hardly remembers his previous life. While Rosa chats with the baker, Gibreel experiences yet another jolt of pain. Later that night, Rosa celebrates her birthday with Gibreel. They dance until dawn, but the exertion proves too much for Rosa, who collapses the next day with a fever. As Rosa lies in bed, delirious, Gibreel begins to see visions of Martin de la Cruz, as well as other figures from Rosa’s past. The visions become more intense, and Gibreel realizes that Rosa’s will is holding him captive. Gibreel compares the experience to when the Prophet Mahound compelled him to speak in his dreams.

Rosa’s fever-induced delirium brings forth more memories, including the time when Martin de la Cruz rowed her to a mysterious white island for a picnic. Rosa’s memories are fragmented, and she cannot decide whether she and Martin gave in to their desires or if she resisted him. Gibreel, now fully ensnared in Rosa’s dream world, experiences the conflicting versions of the story as if they are happening to him. As Rosa’s life slips away, Gibreel’s experience with her memories becomes increasingly intense. Then, as Rosa’s dies, Gibreel feels his own life slipping away. He worries that he might die as a result of her death.

Finally, Rosa dies and the weight on Gibreel lifts. He feels like he can leave her house and return to his life in London. However, as he heads down to the beach, he hears singing coming from an old boathouse. Inside, Gibreel finds Rosa, who appears to him as a young woman—the same version of her that Gibreel has been seeing while experiencing her memories. Rosa beckons for Gibreel to lies down next to her on the floor of the boathouse, which he does.