As if (and other musings)

[StevieG]

Thanks Z for a great post. Rape is rape. I can see how a first time reader would dread what might come next - every time TC is introduced to a new character, or is confronted by a character, or is honoured in some way - the reader has no idea how he'll react.

I am currently at the heart-breaking scene where Trell returns to Revelstone after Elena asks Covenant to accompany her to learn from Amok. Troy learns who his summoner was, and the truth of his summoning. The implications of the rape shape the entire story, and these scenes demonstrate how deeply it has affected some of the inhabitants of the Land. Of course, the wider effects are still to come...

[Zarathustra]

Nicely put Z and yes - this I can agree with.(I was expecting a roasting )

Roasting? Heh. I probably post too much in the Tank. When I'm not talking politics, I don't get so worked up. I used to spend a lot more time in the Covenant discussions, but I feel I've said almost everything I have to say on that subject years ago.

[shadowbinding shoe]

I don't think Covenant is acting like a 'prick' just for the sake of it. If you'll notice he doesn't show this side of his character in his own world. The rudeness and in their face refusal to help is imo a goad to force them to finally punish them.

The unearned kindness the Land and its people show him bother him. So he keeps smacking them in the face but they keep turning the other cheek.

[Shuram Gudatetris]

In LFB, I noticed that he uses the word 'despite' a lot. Uses it as in "regardless of" or "contrary to"....

I didn't realize this before, but SRD does use "Despite" in place of "despisement", doesn't he? That is why his use of the word in its normal meaning distracts me. In fact, not until I looked up the word, so as to better express myself in my meaning, did I realize that 'despite' is not normally used to refer to the emotion of despising.

[StevieG]

There are lots of 're-read' threads, but bugger it, I'll respond in this one! I've just finished The Power that Preserves, and my word, it certainly shits all over LFB! The Illearth War was great, but Covenant's transformation in this book really packed a mean punch. AND there was a lot less of the 'as if', 'like' etc to distract the reader. It just built and built to an unbearable level, and then just kept building!

I'm actually shuddering in anticipation of the 2nd chronicles, because in the scheme of things, the 1st chronicles were relatively easy to follow. The ending (as I've found with all SRD Covenant endings) had a certain complexity - but I know from memory that the 2nd chronicles were more complex. Deep breath, here I go!

[Kaos Arcanna]

In general, I don't tend to do things in dreams that I wouldn't do in real life in terms of personal behavior. I may fly, but I am not generally out there shooting people or doing harm to them for the heck of it.

Except once.

I once had a dream that I was an ax murderer and that I was going thorugh a house in search of people to kill ... with the feeling that I had already killed.

Waking up from that dream wasn't a very pleasant experience ...

So, yeah. I can see someone doings in a dream ... or what he or he perceives as being a dream... that he wouldn't do in real life.


The aftermath of Covenant's crime against Lena is really where he begins to behave like a jerk. He's running away from the implications of that act the entire first novel ... heck, the entire first trilogy.

If the Land is a dream, then he did not actually do that reprehensible act. If it's real ...

Yeah.

In Covenant's shoes I could see myself wanting it all to be a dream too.

[Pepperliver Surfstalker]

I don't want this to sound like I condone the rape of Lena (it's a heinous crime and definitely achieves the impact intended - making you despise Covenant as a character and thus giving him room to "go either way" as the above poster put it), however look at it from the perspective of someone losing their sight and then miraculously getting it back again.

If you were born blind, you would never have missed "seeing" and whilst having your sight granted would be a wonderful journey of discovery it is still a natural part of existence - you are just learning to see later in life than if you had sight from birth.

Now, imagine being able to see from birth but having that faculty taken away from you. It affects your life in so many negative ways, maybe destroying your self-confidence or stopping you from doing many activities that you used to enjoy - in short your life is less fulfilling than it was (note the "maybe" - these responses aren't a given). Then you get your sight back - wouldn't you go out of your way to take every opportunity to "use" the faculty that had been restored to you? Wouldn't you even possibly be so overwhelmed by the return of your sight that you might do some "dangerous" things, to justify to yourself that you are making the best use of this amazing gift whilst it lasts?

Remember, Covenant had no idea that his impotence was removed by Earthpower - he had no time at all to come to terms with what had happened to him. Returning his potency to him might be deemed a gift by some, but after a forced period of sexual inactivity it could almost be perceived as a curse - hence the overwhelming desire to make the most of this feeling of potency while it lasted.

"There is only one way to hurt a man who has lost everything; give him back something broken".

Covenant's sexual potency can be said to have been lost to him; the ramifications of Earthpower re-awakening those feelings suddenly are massive.