The Hen Who Dreamed She Could Fly

 No one, except for children, usually thinks about how animals feel about their lives but The Hen Who Dreamed She Could Fly is an amazing novel by Sun-mi Hwang which proves otherwise. She puts forward an adult perspective of life through a fable. 

The book is about a chicken named Sprout who is a hen used for laying eggs. She has always dreamed of hatching her own eggs like the hen in the yard who roamed around with the rooster. When she does get to go in the coop after much struggle she realises that the life there is not all that she imagined it to be, it has its own struggles and down sides. She has to continuously fight for her life. In the process, she also loses her best friend but is left with his duckling who she looks after till the end of her days. She sacrifices her life for the weasel because she has no one else to live for after her duckling left her. 

In my opinion, this fable tells us the true meaning of adulting and real life in a metaphorical form. Sprout is a very relatable character because she initially wishes for something after being fascinated by it and then when she finally gets to that goal, she realises that it is not the end. She gets to know that she is an ‘outsider’ in that part of the world and no matter how hard she tries, she will never fit in. This is a very typical example of how a lot of students feel while going to universities for the first time. One feels very inspired to do what they wanted to for a long time but when they do go for the degree that they want to pursue, they find out that it isn’t what they imagined it to be. It is very different in real life and it might not be the course for them. They then venture out into other places and run from one place to another trying to figure life out. They do this for the rest of their lives till they are alive. 

The book is a must read for anyone and everyone who is going to jump onto a field which they have always wanted but got after a lot of struggle. It can make the transition easier for the reader because they get to know what expectations to keep from themselves and how to deal with further changes. It helped me to mentally prepare for the change from school to university life. It helped me to accept the fact that it is not necessary that I like the course that I have originally opted for and that I need to get out of my shell. It also taught me to get out of my shell so that I do not regret a decision of passing over an opportunity. The book felt very personal and reflective. 

This book taught me that even though there is always a bigger fish in the sea, we need to decide where we feel content. We should crave for progress and work towards it but we should also know when to stop. This book is needed for all the youngsters and adults alike because it is thought provoking and will definitely help one to find a direction and some connection with real life.