The Tale of the Unknown Island

Name: The Tale of the Unknown Island
Author: José Saramago

The Tale of the Unknown Island follows a man who seeks a boat from a king to embark on a journey to discover an unknown island, navigating the challenges of bureaucracy, self-discovery, and forming unexpected friendships along the way. Through his quest, he confronts personal insecurities and the complexities of human relationships.

By José Saramago · First published 1997 · Genre: Philosophical Fiction, Magical Realism, Allegory · 22 chapters · 108,197 words

First lines

A MAN WENT TO KNOCK AT THE KING'S DOOR AND said, Give me a boat. The king's house had many other doors, but this was the door for petitions. Since the king spent all his time sitting at the door for favors (favors being offered to the king, you understand), whenever he heard someone knocking at the door for petitions, he would pretend not to hear, and only when the continuous pounding of the bronze doorknocker became not just deafening, but positively scandalous, disturbing the peace of the neighborhood (people would start muttering, What kind of king is he if he won't even answer the door), only then would he order the first secretary to go and find out what the supplicant wanted, since there seemed no way of silencing him.

What this Textopian page supports

The Tale of the Unknown Island is listed on Textopian as a novel by José Saramago, dated 1997 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

Work type: Novel
Author: José Saramago
Date: 1997 CE
Language: English
Genres: Philosophical Fiction, Magical Realism, Allegory, Literary Fiction, Adventure
Length: 108,197 words
Structure: 22 chapters, 717 paragraphs
Reading fit: Difficult (College Level)

Good citation fit

Work identity for The Tale of the Unknown Island by José Saramago
Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters

What should a reader notice first when entering The Tale of the Unknown Island?
How does this novel by José Saramago fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
Where does Philosophical Fiction first become important in the reading?

Similar titles

Genres

Philosophical Fiction — The narrative explores existential themes and the nature of human desire and purpose.
Magical Realism — The story incorporates fantastical elements within a realistic setting, blurring the lines between reality and imagination.
Allegory — The tale serves as a metaphor for the search for meaning and self-discovery.
Literary Fiction — The writing style is characterized by its depth, complexity, and focus on character development.