Eldest part ten

[kippurbird]

Chapters Arya Svit-Kona, Ceris

Summary

Just a bit of a warning. There's more poetry in this analysis.

Now that we're all properly frightened (makes you wish this was another Meat fic, doesn't it?) let's get started.

Arya is a zombie. She refuses to ride a donkey and instead is able to run faster than a horse or a donkey and keep up at it all day without getting tired. Or maybe she's an elf and this is a super special elf ability. Tolkien's elves could do that. So, Paolini's elves can. I like the zombie theory better. In any case they make their way to Du Weldenvarden, which apparently is a forest that stretches the length of Alagaesia. Either Alagaesia is really small or ... well... Paolini is really bad with geography.

One night Arya comes to him. But not in the way that Eragon would like. She wants to have a private chat, but not about that. Instead it's about Politics. Elven politics. And courtesy. Since they live so long they can't afford to give offense when a grudge may last for decades. Our Thesaurus raped word of the day is Fecund. The elves are not fecund. And I quote, "Nor are elves fecund, so it's vital that we avoid conflict among ourselves." (Page 160). Fecund, I am told means capable of having children. If elves are not capable of having children the question is, how do they reproduce? Now it could be argued that Paolini may have meant not very fecund, but that is not what he said. And we can't go by assuming things, only what is on the page. This is where Mark Twain's quote, "The difference between a right word and an almost right word is like the difference between lightning and a lightning bug" comes in handy. The thesaurus, while a useful tool, does not give words that mean exactly the same thing. And this is what Paolini fails to see, so caught up in his cleverness. And even still, he should have realized what it is that he says. Back to our original reproduction question. How do they then reproduce. Well, they could split like amoebas or perhaps even do budding. Little elves growing off the parent elf at odd places until they've fully developed and then falling off. I like that image. So, now we have budding elves.

I now want an icon that says, "My fandom has budding elves and zombie horses."

Apparently, according to the elves, Eragon is expected to know the intricacies of their social norms, and more harm will come to him if the elves discover he was rude out of ignorance than if he was rude on purpose. As Ayra says, "Far better to thought rude and capable than rude and incapable, else you risk being manipulated like the Serpent in a match of Runes." (page 161) Now I have no idea what the Serpent in a Match of Runes is, so the simile makes no sense to me. I am supposing that he's referring to a game, but I have no context. Terry Pratchett used the game of Thud as a political metaphor in his book, Thud, but before he made it as a metaphor, he brought it up several times in different books. Vimes, commented on the game. We knew about the game, what it was about, so when Pratchett started using it as a metaphor for what was happening in Thud we knew what he was talking about. But I digress. We're looking at Elven politics, which are starting to sound rather like the Game that is played by the nobby folks in Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time books. (What is this, the third reference so far?)

Eragon shows his uber learning skills again, absorbing all sorts of niceties of elven culture with in several hours. We even learn the elven greeting which translates as "May good fortune rule over you, peace live in your heart and the stars watch over you." While sounding like something a bunch of corny fluffy wiccans would say, one has to wonder, why would the stars watch over someone? The stars are non-sentient. They would only be sentient things in a culture that has a religious philosophy, like they're they souls of the departed or the eyes of the gods or something. But for an atheist culture referring to the stars in such a manner makes no sense. In many ways this is just as ridiculous as the dwarves belief in the gods. But at least the dwarves have religion to back their sayings.

Arya then gets bitchy at Eragon when he asks if she's all right. She says that he shouldn't be so familiar to her when they're in the elf kingdom. She then leaves him. Saphira has a rather cute line when she tells him to go after her and make amends. She says that if he doesn't she'll fill his tent with carrion. He goes after Ayra and makes amends. She accepts his apologies and tells him that she's afraid before wandering off again.

On the fourth day there's a completely random conversation between Shrrgnien and Eragon involving the number of toes each race has. Dwarves have seven on each foot. Apparently Shrrgnien had a bet with the other dwarves about something. Eragon only saw them exchanging money. My guess was if the could get Eragon to take his boot off.

Anyway, they finally reach the elves.

Ayra talks to some of the elves at this meadow and the elves get all excited to see her and start dancing, singing and laughing around her like a bunch of stoned hippies. "The elves dropped from the trees and embraced Arya, lauging in clear, pure voices. They joined hands and danced in a circle around her like children, singing merrily as they spun through the grass" (page 166)And these are Paolini's chosen people. Don't you want to be like them? They must have dropped their weapons to do this because they're all holding hands. But they manage to pick them up... or never have dropped them to aim at Saphira when they see her. Ayra talks to them and they start laughing.

In fact they really don't stop laughing. They do it incessantly. And sing and hum. They sing as they make food for the dwarves and Eragon. They laugh as Eragon and the Dwarves walk through the forest. And the only difference between the four elves that we meet is that one has black hair and the others silver. They eat and then one of the elves starts to play the pipes and another sings.

And now, because I hate you all, the elf's song:

O!

The day is done; the stars are bright;
The leaves are still; the moon is white!
Laugh at woe and laugh at foe,
Menoa's scion now is safe this night!

A forest child we lost to strife;
A sylvan daughter caught by life!
Freed of fear and freed of flame,
She tore a Rider from the shadows rife!

Again the dragons rise on wing,
and we avenge their suffering!
Strong of blade and strong of arm
the time is ripe for us to kill a king!

O!

The wind is soft; the river deep;
The trees are talk; the birds do sleep!
Laugh at woe and laugh at foe,
The hour has arrived for joy to reap!

Well, it rhymes, which is a step up from the other poems. And it almost has a meter, but in the third verse the meter is completely forced. And then look at the actual lyrics. First of all who is Menoa's scion? Second of all how do you get caught by life? Freed of flame makes no sense at all, was someone on fire? Third stanza appears to be talking about Eragon. Do they actually think that because they suddenly have one fledgling dragon rider on their side that they'll be able to defeat Galby who KILLED OFF ALL THE OTHER RIDERS with only thirteen people to help him?! Of course, I forget, this is Eragon we're talking about. The birds do sleep, what about owls? And the whole laugh at woe, laugh at foe makes them sound a bit sadistic and psychotic.

Eragon goes to sleep. He wakes up as the dwarves are preparing to leave. They promise to take care of Snowfire for Eragon, saying that he'll be fat and sleek when he comes back. Most riders do not want their horses to be fat.

The elves are going to take Arya, Eragon, Dwarf up the river in two white canoes. Yes, the elves have white canoes. I can't really comment any more on that without getting upset.

So, they go upstream into the lake and when he pauses to rest, he starts to play with the puzzle ring again. The elf in the canoe with him asks to see it and Eragon gives it to him. It takes him a few moments to solve the puzzle. Eragon is of course upset at this show of intelligence. But in the end he wants to be able to figure it out on his own. This puzzle ring is starting to puzzle me. I'm beginning to think that Paolini is going to use it as a symbol of Eragon's development and only when he reaches his height will he be able to solve the puzzle.

We'll have to see.

Comments

[lccorp2.livejournal.com]

He solves the puzzle:

Not when he gets more intelligent.

Not when he gets stronger physically.

Not when he accomplishes a feat under his own strength,

Not when he grows in his relationships with others.

He solves it when he becomes a fricking elf.

Says a lot about Paolini and his elves, hm?

[dragonwhishes.livejournal.com]

... he becomes an elf. He doesn't simply become like an elf, he turns into a gorram elf?

... I. That.

*finally gets to use an icon she hasn't yet*

[kippurbird.livejournal.com]

I wish I could say you fucking with me, but I totally believe you on that.

I'm sad now.

[dove-cg.livejournal.com]

So basically, the puzzle was enchanted so that only when an elf held it, would it no longer be locked and thus could be properly solved.

[karma-kalisutah.livejournal.com]

The last line of that song? I simply cannot read "joy" as the object of that sentence. So, who is this Joy, and what is she reaping?

[kippurbird.livejournal.com]

Paolini only knows. >:D

[zoe-i-am.livejournal.com]

Joy is my sister, and she hates elves! *evil grin*

[berseker.livejournal.com]

Ok, English is not my first language.

So, it´s just me or this

Again the dragons rise on wing,
and we avenge their suffering!
Strong of blade and strong of arm
the time is ripe for us to kill a king!

is impossible to read aloud? Well, not impossible. But it has some, whatever you call them, extra syllables and it’s really really bad, right?

[thelittlebudgie.livejournal.com]

The meter's off. First two are seven each, then eight, and then ten. Doesn't make sense. If we had two sevens, then two eights, or three sevens and an eight, it might fit somewhat better.

[jacedraccus.livejournal.com]

It's not you. The whole song is like that.

[dove-cg.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the last line has too many syllables for it to match with the rest. Plus the fact the third line ends in a non-rhyming word also makes it awkward. If the first line had ended in a word that rhymed with arm, it would've worked, but not with three lines that rhyme and then one that doesn't. I think perhaps Paolini was trying to come up with unique rhyming schemes for his races and failed horribly. :P

[(Anonymous)]

I listened to the audio recording, it doesn't sound right at all read aloud, and then it is supposed to have some profound effect on Eragon where he can see into the elf's soul or something like that.

[jacedraccus.livejournal.com]

The story just gets more bizarre and inane...

And you know, apart from the stupidity of the song's lyrics, the song would be almost ok if the last line of every verse wasn't completely out of meter with the rest. Seriously, every verse has something of a rhythm to it, right up until that last line... might not matter so much if it didn't rhyme with the first two, maybe.

So. Obviously Paolini was never home-schooled in poetry.

[kippurbird.livejournal.com]

Isn't bothersome? I tried reading it out loud and just failed. And that's the real point of poetry, to be read out loud.

He was probably home-schooled in poetry. Mommy just probably said how wonderful it is to anything he came up with.

[thelittlebudgie.livejournal.com]

*disturbed* That first line reminds me of The Hobbit. And the bit about the stars makes no sense at all, considering how the elves are supposed to be super-advanced. (Honestly. I'm half wondering if gunpowder's going to make it into the last book. However, I have high hopes for it not, as shooting an enemy isn't as "cool" in fantasy.)

Will the puzzle make it into another Meat story?

[kippurbird.livejournal.com]

Mmmm.... maybe. >>

[(Anonymous)]

Two more things:
1. I get the impression Paolini was trying to decide between Tolkien's elves and Santa's elves.

2. I have a puzzle ring which I think I first solved in under an hour, Eragon has been working on his for days. Of course, it is possible that this one is a more complex design than mine. Still, it seems a bit silly to make such a big deal out of it.

[karma-kalisutah.livejournal.com]

1. I get the impression Paolini was trying to decide between Tolkien's elves and Santa's elves.

I'm blaming this one on Elladan and Elrohir. They were pretty ridiculous in The Hobbit. And, of course, Paolini getting hold of something a little bit off can only magnify the insanity.

[spoofmaster]

Oookay, scary elves. At first I was going to say that they all sound like they have sticks up their asses (Arya certainly does), but then they had the scarily cheerful bit. Maybe they all get stoned before they go out on patrol, and therefore only have sticks up their asses when they're at home. Maybe that's why Arya is so bitchy--she hasn't had her pot for a while.

[kippurbird.livejournal.com]

The elves are... weird.

[gjohnsonkoehn.livejournal.com]

Since they live so long they can't afford to give offense when a grudge may last for decades.

In which case the sensible solution would be to evolve a culture that is so forgiving it would make Christ look miserly, not to evolve a culture in which people must be schooled in the intricacies of social politics lest they unintentionally spark a vicious rivalry that will last for decades. If the elves were so touchy they would have had several wars between elf groupings, which would have pushed them to adopt a more conciliatory culture, perhaps on ethat makes a virtue out of humility and self-effacement. Seriously, this is Paolini's chosen culture and people?

Saphira has a rather cute line when she tells him to go after her and make amends. She says that if he doesn't she'll fill his tent with carrion.

I see. So, he can't so much as think about going for lunch with an attractive redshirt sorceress, but he should rush out and apologise to Elf Sue at the slightest hint that she's taken offence at something? On pain of meat-filled tent? Subtle as a burning cross there, Paolini.

Also, I know I should be inured to Paolini's attempts at poetry and song, but... the trees are talk? The trees are talk! What the frak?!

[kippurbird.livejournal.com]

Why yes, they are. The stoned, budding elves who are ridgedly polite. Don't you want to be like them?

Isn't it? About as subtle as a brick in the head.

Are you trying to make sense of this? Are you?

[frodo-harry.livejournal.com]

You know , in the hobbit it was cuter, but here it just does not make sense. Ok it did not make sense in the Hobbit either, but at least the rest of his story line was coherent and he knew how to string two sentences together without being too flowery. My favorite poem in the Hobbit is the song the dwarfs sing at the beginning of the book. I mean Tolkien worked all his life on Middle Earth. He put a lot effort in it. Pao Pao should try the same.

[gjohnsonkoehn.livejournal.com]

But... but he spent 'weeks' on it! How much can one man be expected to do, I ask you!

[dove-cg.livejournal.com]

She wants to have a private chat, but not about that. Instead it's about Politics. Elven politics. And courtesy.

That should have nothing to DO with what the elves are like. That's something you learn anytime you intend to go somewhere where you might fuck things up if you don't understand some of the customs. But it is nice to see Paolini tried to figure out how longevity might affect politics. :P

I now want an icon that says, "My fandom has budding elves and zombie horses."

I'll try and make that icon sometime soon but I can't promise anything. I've been lazier about making icons lately. Luckily, I'm not the only one who might do it. :)

That said, I technically have some budding elves... my elf-like race are all varieties of plant-people. So some of them would probably reproduce that way. However, that said, this gives me disturbing images as I realize the female one that became a Goddess of Revelry and who consistently turns her berries into the strongest wine in the entire world could be perceived as... well, technically menstruating that way. But you didn't hear that from me! u_u;

On the fourth day there's a completely random conversation between Shrrgnien and Eragon involving the number of toes each race has. Dwarves have seven on each foot. Apparently Shrrgnien had a bet with the other dwarves about something. Eragon only saw them exchanging money. My guess was if the could get Eragon to take his boot off.

... Call me quirky but I find that part amusing. I'm guessing they had a bet on how many toes that humans have? That said, how many fingers do the dwarves tend to have? Do the toes give them a better grip in mountainous areas? It's nice to see this kind of stuff but, again, Paolini is half-assing it because he doesn't explain what use it is or how it affects the dwarves in any way.

But they manage to pick them up... or never have dropped them to aim at Saphira when they see her.

Or maybe they never unsheathed them/removed the bows from their backs because they saw her first? I dunno.

In fact they really don't stop laughing. They do it incessantly. And sing and hum.

Arya must be an angsty step-child then because she is apparently nothing like them. Which I would consider possible character development on her part except that she has none. ;P

They promise to take care of Snowfire for Eragon, saying that he'll be fat and sleek when he comes back. Most riders do not want their horses to be fat.

No, they don't. But it's a cliche, so Paolini used it. :P

[kippurbird.livejournal.com]

Yay for Iconness!

... Call me quirky but I find that part amusing. I'm guessing they had a bet on how many toes that humans have? That said, how many fingers do the dwarves tend to have? Do the toes give them a better grip in mountainous areas? It's nice to see this kind of stuff but, again, Paolini is half-assing it because he doesn't explain what use it is or how it affects the dwarves in any way.

It's amusing but has nothing to do with forwarding the story and disrupts the flow. The way it was placed it should have been totally cut. If he wanted to say that his dwarves have seven toes, then he should have found another to put it in.

Or maybe they never unsheathed them/removed the bows from their backs because they saw her first? I dunno.

Paolini says earlier that they were out.

Yes. It is.

[berseker.livejournal.com]

I don´t know if I got it. Puzzle ring as in, two locked rings that you have to sepparate and then put back together, something like that?

[kippurbird.livejournal.com]

Puzzle ring as in several separate rings that are together and when put together right for one ring.

[christinaathena.livejournal.com]

else you risk being manipulated like the Serpent in a match of Runes.

That actually makes sense to me. I have no idea what a match of Runes is, presumably some sort of word game, but I can get the gist of what she's saying. "You'll be manipulated like a fool". It actually does sound like a reasonable expression, which I can understand from context.

The stars are non-sentient. They would only be sentient things in a culture that has a religious philosophy

Maybe he meant to imply that the elves were religious at some point, but later abandoned their religion, and that this expression is a vestige of those earlier beliefs? Still, seems a rather wordy greeting, you'd think it would be abbreviated in all but the most formal circumstances.

On the fourth day there's a completely random conversation between Shrrgnien and Eragon involving the number of toes each race has. Dwarves have seven on each foot. Apparently Shrrgnien had a bet with the other dwarves about something. Eragon only saw them exchanging money. My guess was if the could get Eragon to take his boot off.

That could've made for a rather amusing interlude if done right ... sounds like Paolini didn't, though. :-/

About that puzzle ring...

[mistyeyedreamer.livejournal.com]

Hi. I know this is a late comment, but I've been reading your sporkings for a while now, and I think they're awesome. Anyway. Way back when I was an Eragon fan (about two years ago, I think...), I went to the book signing for Eldest, and I remember Paolini talking about the puzzle ring. He said that a friend of his gave it to him, because he knew Paolini liked them. But he couldn't solve it, so he gave it to Eragon. Seriously. He didn't want to deal with it, so he gave it to his self-insert. Then, he said that after months of trying to solve that puzzle, he finally did. And that 'coincidentally' happened to be the day that Eragon solved his, in the actual book.