3: Why did Covenant start wearing his ring on his right hand in the 2nd Chrons? In the 1st Chrons, he wore the band on the traditional wedding finger. But in in the 2nd Chrons, it's on his right. Is the reason stated explicitly anywhere, or is it a subliminal thing to convey that Covenant has made peace with his role and his power?
In The Power That Preserves, Covenant jammed the ring onto one of his index fingers because he'd been starved and driven to the point of emaciation and it dropped easily off his customary finger. This seemed only a temporary measure, though; also, it was the index finger rather than middle, possibly his left hand (not sure on this) and only went on half way, IIRC.
just wanted to get back to one of the original questions posed (erm, two years ago haha) as I found it to be an interestin' bit o' symbolism.
as was pointed out, TC actually places the ring on his half-hand after surviving his ordeal with Elena and the Ramen-Ravers at the Colossus.
Interestingly, in soon after the swap he finally weeps over all the crimes he's commited and the lives lost for the first time in the 1st chronicles .. perhaps it's only a coincidence, or the two events hold no significance for each other ..
Anyway, I think ya had it pretty much right to begin with Jwaneeta, I believe TC subconciously makes the change to more fully align himself with his fate/purpose ..
why are the fingers on one hand more withered than those on his maimed hand ?
In a sense, his physical, emotional and mental state are all compelling him to accept the Land and his responsibility toward it ..
- in one sense he could be interpreted as choosing to 'marry' his commitment to the Land, in another way you could argue that he's placing the ring, his greatest source of power and hope, right next to the most obvious superficial sign of his leprosy; his maimed hand; he merges the paradox of a lepers denial of passion and power with the one symbol of hope and power available to him ... two different but not-neccessarily mutually exclusive interpretations of TC's small but significant act ...
sorry if I go on a bit, I only just read that chapter for the 2nd time in years and it was emotionally draining, 'Colossus' really is powerful chapter !
