Jonathan Livingston Seagull

Plot Summary

Part One:
Jonathan Livingston Seagull is a seagull who is bored with the daily squabbles
over food. He has a passion for flying. He pushes himself, learning everything he
can about flying. Against his parents will, he is unwilling to behave like an
ordinary gull and spend his time hunting for food. His unwillingness to conform
results in his expulsion from his flock. An outcast, he continues to learn,
becoming a better flyer and increasingly happy with his abilities.
Part Two:
One day, Jonathan is met by two gulls who take him to a "higher plane of
existence" where he meets other gulls who love to fly including Sullivan. He
discovers that his tenacity and desire to learn make him "pretty well a one-in-amillion bird." Jonathan befriends the wisest gull in this new place, named Chiang.
Chiang teaches Jonathan new and more difficult skills. Jonathan becomes a
teacher and decides to return to his flock.
Part Three:
Jonathan returns to Earth to find others like him, to bring them his learning and to
spread his love for flight. His mission is successful, gathering around him others
who have been outlawed for not conforming. Ultimately, the very first of his
students, Fletcher Lynd Seagull, becomes a teacher in his own right and Jonathan
leaves to continue his learning.

Major Themes:
Following your dreams
Forgiveness, kindness, and peace
Love of learning
Personal freedom
Giving back to future generations

Interpretations

1. Where is Jonathan now?

So this is heaven, he thought, and he had to smile at
himself. It was hardly respectful to analyze heaven in
the very moment that one flies up to enter it.

2. For the gulls in this new place, what is the

most important thing in living?
For each of them, the most important thing in living was
to reach out and touch perfection in that which they
most loved to do, and that was to fly.

3. How does Chiang define heaven?

"No, Jonathan, there is no such place. Heaven is not a
place, and it is not a time. Heaven is being perfect."

4. According to Sullivan, why is Jonathan such a

good student?
"But you, Jon," he said, "learned so much at one time
that you didn't have to go through a thousand lives to
reach this one."

5. Chiang has taught Jonathan to travel through

______ and ______.
The trick was to know that his true nature lived, as
perfect as an unwritten number, everywhere at once

Jonathan could probably

easily blend in with the new
group, knowing that they
think the same as him.

Could perfection include

doing the impossible?

Jonathan picks up things

fast. It didnt take him long to
be like the members of new
group.

The impossible could have

been possible all along as
long as there is heaven.

across space and time.

6. Jonathan's next lesson is to learn the meaning

of _______ and _______.
You will be ready to begin to fly up and know the
meaning of kindness and of love.

7. What were Chiang's last words to Jonathan?

"Jonathan," he said, and these were the last words that
he spoke, "keep working on love."

8. What did Jonathan decide to do at the end of

part two? Why?
"Then, Fletch," that bright creature said to him, and the
voice was very kind, "let's begin with Level Flight...."

Jonathan is full of passion

and enthusiasm, but could
kindness and love have been
missing in Jonathan?

If Chiang told him that he

needs to improve on love,
does that mean he didnt
show love that much?

Jonathan is now going to

share some values and
lessons he learned from the
past to other seagulls who
thought as he did. I just
know that the Breakfast
Flock will regret their
actions when they see
Jonathan and Fletch.