“It is normally supposed that something always gets lost in translation: I cling, obstinately, to the notion that something can also be gained.”

Rushdie begins this passage by talking about his memories of his past in Bombay. Our memories, however, are not always reliable. Memories change. What was once vivid and clear becomes muddled with the passage of time. One may remember a certain event happening one way while another person remembers it differently. However, this is not necessarily a bad thing. Though the volatility of our own memories may frighten us, there is in fact something to gain: a new perspective. Juxtaposing what you remember with what actually happened gives you a new viewpoint to consider. A child would often remember an event in a more optimistic perspective. Revisiting that place or memory as an adult allows you to go back and look at what you may have missed.