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Jun. 14th, 2010
Because the cat sat on my books
Jun. 14th, 2010 10:03 pmI was going to do the next chapter of Brisingr tonight but the cat is using it as a pillow and every time I move it, he moves to sleep on it. Instead I'm going to wander down a thought I had about the characters and Galby more importantly that came to me while walking back from the grocery store.
Anyone who works for Galby is compelled to do it by oaths they're forced to swear using their true names and the ancient language. No one seems to join up willingly. No one believes in his cause. If he had a cause. That's just it, he doesn't have one, does he?
He's just There. Being Evil.
Since no one in their right mind would want to work for Evil they all have to be Forced into it. He doesn't have anything to offer them. No future, nothing that we've seen. He has nothing to make people loyal to him. He doesn't have any good points.
It reiterates the idea that A. He's EVIL and B. He's a cardboard cut out of a character with no real motives or desires than what the author has. In fact a cardboard cut out has more character than he does. He's not a character, he's an idea that Paolini has of what an Evil Person should be. And since he has nothing in him, he has nothing to keep people to him and so he is 'require' or 'forced' to magically make people work for him. This is probably the only way Paolini could figure out how to get people to join his cause and not all be up and arms. Or something.
To me it shows that he hasn't thought these things out very well beyond the need for a villain. Even in Star Wars with the Evil Emperor there were willing followers. Admittedly some followed out of fear, but others followed out of the desire of the emperor's dreams of a galaxy under their rule.
Everyone needs a motive to do something. Everyone needs to have a purpose. And being "evil" is not a purpose. Motive gives reason to do actions which drives plot and which gives other characters reason to do things. And it you know, gives characters character.
Anyone who works for Galby is compelled to do it by oaths they're forced to swear using their true names and the ancient language. No one seems to join up willingly. No one believes in his cause. If he had a cause. That's just it, he doesn't have one, does he?
He's just There. Being Evil.
Since no one in their right mind would want to work for Evil they all have to be Forced into it. He doesn't have anything to offer them. No future, nothing that we've seen. He has nothing to make people loyal to him. He doesn't have any good points.
It reiterates the idea that A. He's EVIL and B. He's a cardboard cut out of a character with no real motives or desires than what the author has. In fact a cardboard cut out has more character than he does. He's not a character, he's an idea that Paolini has of what an Evil Person should be. And since he has nothing in him, he has nothing to keep people to him and so he is 'require' or 'forced' to magically make people work for him. This is probably the only way Paolini could figure out how to get people to join his cause and not all be up and arms. Or something.
To me it shows that he hasn't thought these things out very well beyond the need for a villain. Even in Star Wars with the Evil Emperor there were willing followers. Admittedly some followed out of fear, but others followed out of the desire of the emperor's dreams of a galaxy under their rule.
Everyone needs a motive to do something. Everyone needs to have a purpose. And being "evil" is not a purpose. Motive gives reason to do actions which drives plot and which gives other characters reason to do things. And it you know, gives characters character.