Midnight's Children

Saleem offers an explanation as to how he survived the bombing raid. While his family was killed, he was hit on the head by the silver spittoon. The blow to his head gave him amnesia, and he cannot remember anything about his identity. He tells Padma not to grieve for his dead family but to “mourn for the living” (289) instead. When she regains control of herself, he returns to the story. He describes a military camp that can be found “on no maps” (290). Saleem is recruited by the Pakistan military. His almost-supernatural sense of smell means he is referred to as the “man-dog” (291) by the other soldiers in his unit. These teenage soldiers include Ayooba Baolch, Farooq Rashid, and Shaheed Dar. Though Saleem has no memories, he can smell out bombs and enemy soldiers. This skill makes him very valuable to the military, as he can even help clear minefields. He carries the silver spittoon with him wherever he goes. Saleem is assigned to the CUTIA (Canine Unit for Tracking and Intelligence Activity) Unit 22, which spies on the Pakistani people to uncover spies and other “undesirable elements” (291). The soldiers in Saleem’s unit have heard rumors about his past; they ask whether he is the brother of the famous Jamila, but Saleem says nothing.