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Re: Re: Re: suggestions, please...

On 3/29/01 4:46 PM, quoth the brilliant 
dasmith at rotse2_physics.lsa.umich.edu at 
dasmith at rotse2_physics.lsa.umich.edu:

> But what *really* bothered me about Memory, Sorrow, and
>Thorn was the old "scullery boy turns out to be the long-lost heir to the
>throne" motif.  Maybe it's just because I'm getting older, but whereas I used
>to find the idea appealling (Lloyd Alexander's Taran, for example, I loved 
>as a
>kid), now I find it disturbing.  



Babe, you are SO overthinking this.

Oh, and thanks for giving away the entire series, Mr. Smartypants. Now no 
one needs to read it.

I think we groove on the scullery-boy-could-be-the-king idea until a 
certain age; until we realise we're adults and able to make our own 
destinies. I think it's a psychological part of growing up-- many 
children's books and stories have the same theme. I used to study this 
stuff. Read any Bruno Bettelheim and he'll tell you the same thing, only 
MUCH better than I ever could. Personally, I still get a kick out of the 
theme, but I also do my own thing. I'm my own Queen of the Universe, 
dammit!

As for Dragonbone Chair, Stone of Farewell, and To Green Angel Tower (the 
Tad Williams series in question), I think the whole thing was handled 
beautifully. Simon-- or Seoman, if you prefer-- starts as a geeky kid and 
moves on into an heoric role. He grows up beautifully, subtly, and 
realistically. If he were a scullion, there wouldn't be much of a story, 
I suppose. The whole idea is his gradual awakening to the awareness of 
who he is. It's not that he's a scullion who becomes the king, it's that 
he's a king-to-be who's become a scullion.

As for the elves, the society and structure is pretty much the same no 
matter where you read. Tolkein set us up the forest, but different 
authors hike different trails through it. I thought Williams' handling of 
it fresh and invigorating. Then again, I've only ever read LotR twice, I 
think. And I still like The Hobbit, best, so what do I know?


His email addy was on his website, amongst his essays and book tour 
dates. So much for my idea of the writer sending his work off into the 
void.

Did I mention how cool he is?
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