Jonathan Livingston Seagull: The Unapologetic Maverick

Jonathan Livingston Seagull is a free thinker and a misfit of seabird society. Disillusioned with the insular ways of his fellow gulls, who are solely driven by hunger and the fight for survival, Jonathan challenges the status quo by finding freedom in flight. 

Photo Courtesy: Flori Braunhofer on Unsplash

Richard Bach’s 1970 novella is a timeless tale of growth and self-discovery, told through the lens of a seagull on a mission to achieve aerial excellence. The story begins at daybreak, with the notorious Breakfast Flock huddling on a boat and squabbling for scraps of fish. Jonathan, on the other hand, breaks free from the group and flies solo, diligently practising a swooping curve at 100 feet above ground level. Although he flounders and stalls in mid-air, Jonathan remains undeterred, his lack of mastery only motivating him to work harder at perfecting his craft. 

It’s Jonathan’s resolute spirit, his willingness to break the mould of seabird society that propels him forward, despite the rebuke he receives from his family and the wider community. Jonathan’s unorthodox pursuits draw disapproval from his parents who condemn him for his eccentricities as he ventures into the realm of low-altitude flight, typically the domain of the pelicans and albatross. His mother and father express their concerns, fearing that Jonathan’s penchant for experimentation may hinder his ability to survive the harsh winters when food sources become increasingly scarce. “This flying business is all very well, but you can’t eat a glide, you know. Don’t you forget that the reason you fly is to eat,” Jonathan’s father says. But despite his efforts to conform to the rules of his colony, Jonathan grows world-weary and, tired of scavenging to survive, he persists in his pursuit of the perfect aerial manoeuvre.  

A decisive moment in the novella occurs when Jonathan attempts the daring feat of a rolling dive from 600 metres. He manages to defy the odds by breaking the world record for seagulls, achieving a speed of 90 miles per hour. However, Jonathan’s triumph is fleeting when he adjusts the angle of his wings and falters while airborne, causing him to spiral downwards, plough into the sea, and lose consciousness. Dejected, Jonathan eventually regains consciousness and accepts the limits of his nature, remarking, “If I were meant to learn so much about flying, I’d have charts for brains. If I were meant to fly at speed, I’d have a falcon’s short wings.”  

Jonathan’s defeat is tinged by the heavy burden of failure, driving him to self-destruction. “He wished, feebly, that the weight could be just enough to drag him gently to the bottom and end it all.” Yet, even in the depths of despair, Jonathan finds the strength to silence his self-critical thoughts, to choose compassion over judgement, to choose life over death. It’s not Jonathan’s ability to reach top speed or his prowess as a power diver that makes him extraordinary; rather, it’s his unwavering spirit in the face of adversity that makes him a truly remarkable character. 

Even after Jonathan is exiled from his community and branded an outcast by the Elder Gull of the Council Flock, he doesn’t abandon all hope. Instead, he finds solace in flying—the only pursuit that brings him happiness and fulfilment, even if it means sacrificing acceptance from the Flock. After being banished from the Flock, Jonathan is not troubled by loneliness, but rather by the prospect of being unable to share the joys of flying with his fellow gulls: “His one sorrow was not solitude; it was that the other gulls refused to believe the glory of flight that awaited them; they refused to open their eyes and see.” Over time and with consistent practice, Jonathan progresses in leaps and bounds, dedicating every waking hour to testing the laws of aerodynamics and refining aerobatic manoeuvres. 

One evening, a pair of luminous seagulls joins Jonathan and flies alongside him through the night sky. Together, they form a synchronised trio, soaring gracefully as they ascend higher and higher. Jonathan’s mystical companions offer to accompany him to a higher realm to continue his learning—an offer which he eagerly accepts. In the following days, Jonathan is informed by his new instructor, Sullivan, of his rare status. Sullivan reveals that Jonathan is a “one-in-a-million bird” who has a deep understanding of the ultimate purpose of life—to find perfection and show it forth. Jonathan’s pursuit of perfection lies in achieving the perfect speed, unencumbered by space or time. Under the tutelage of Elder Gull, Chiang, Jonathan successfully teleports from one seashore to another, achieving perfection. 

Advised by Chiang to “keep working on love”, Jonathan longs to return to earth to offer guidance to the other Outcast gulls who wish to experience the freedom in flight. Eventually, Jonathan returns to earth and takes on a small group of Outcasts as flying students. Jonathan’s star pupil is Fletcher, an inquisitive young gull who has been expelled from the Flock for performing a barrel roll. Jonathan encourages Fletcher to forgive the Flock and to share his learnings with those who wish to be taught how to fly.  

Over time, Jonathan takes on more students, educating them on the theory and practice of flight, his teachings taking on a theological dimension when he lectures: “Each of us is in truth an idea of the Great Gull, an unlimited idea of freedom […] and precision flying is a step towards expressing our real nature.” When Jonathan finally takes a leap of faith and confronts the Flock, slowly the gulls begin to experience a shift in attitude. A snowball effect takes place as, one by one, curious gulls who long to fly freely risk pariah status by seeking out Jonathan’s instruction. The result is heartening—Jonathan’s students not only become skilled flyers, but they also go on to become instructors themselves who school other gulls willing to defect to Jonathan from the gradually dwindling Flock in the hopes of experiencing the freedom in flight. 

Jonathan Livingston Seagull doesn’t present individualism and collectivism as mutually exclusive, but rather mutually inclusive. Jonathan is an independent thinker who lives by his own personal belief system which runs counter to the Flock. Although rejected on home turf, he’s warmly welcomed by a like-minded group of gulls—kindred spirits who provide him with a support network that enables him to thrive. Jonathan’s wish to reconcile with the Flock who shunned him highlights the power of forgiveness and our capacity for change, as well as the importance of fostering a society that embraces diversity. 

Jonathan is a champion of the othered, an errant protagonist, an unapologetic maverick who is at once stifled by sameness and ostracised for his difference. It’s the pursuit of perfection that causes Jonathan to be cast out from the Flock, but through his cyclical journey of self-discovery and his foray into teaching, Jonathan unearths his potential and his purpose: to become an educator, a mentor, and a leader for generations to come. “The gull sees farthest who flies highest”, and a high-flyer Jonathan is indeed.