The reason/sense of the Kevin-scene

[amanibhavam]

I have just finished WGW again, and I would like to ask my fellow Watchers about this. I am talking about the scene where bitter, mad Kevin inflicts his doubt upon Linden in Andelain. I have never really "got" that scene, despite having read the books a dozen times or so. Or not entirely, at least. It always leaves me with a cringing feeling. (Besides of containing a fine example of the only thing I dislike in the Second Chronicles: SRD's tendency to reiterate the obvious again and again. There we have the shock of Linden perceiving Kevin stepping out of the blue to accost her, and then SRD stops the flow of the narrative to give us a half-page rundown of who Kevin is and what he has done so far. Does he seriously think that anyone working his/her way through five and a half volumes of TCTC doesn't know who Kevin is? But I digress.)
So what id the author's literary or plotwise purpose with that scene? Is it just a mere plot-device to give the characters a final impetus to carry them through the final leg of their journey? Is it to give Linden (and the reader) a final hint of TC's real intent, without explaining its purpose? (I admit I would have never guessed the outcome of WGW when I first read it.) Was there another reason for alienating Linden from Covenant?
Please give me your thoughts on this.


Oh, besides, at the end of WGW we see Pitchwife scooping up TC's dead body. Whatever happened to it after that? After what he had done to the Land one would think they'd build the equivalent of Khufu's pyramid for him to say the least...

[wayfriend]

I think there's a long discussion somewhere about what happened to TC's body. Probably in the Runes forum.

As for Kevin. I think he was added so that we would be as suspicious of Covenant as possible. He makes a really good case for why Linden needs to stop Covenant before he does what he does. This way, we're on the hook right up until the end.

Frankly, that's a lot better than thinking, gee, I know Covenant is going to defeat Foul, I just don't how.

As part of this, Kevin reveals to Linden Covenant's secret plan. Linden would not have otherwise known. And we (the reader) would not have otherwise known either. Given that Covenant wasn't telling, who but the Dead could plausibly have the inside scoop?

[amanibhavam]

Thanks for your thoughts, Wayfriend!

[Zarathustra]

Yeah, Wayfriend nailed it. Misdirection combined with privileged information. Plus, a damn powerful scene in a long string of powerful scenes. This one was completely unexpected. It floored me and filled me with that particular sense of awe I can only get from Donaldson books.

[amanibhavam]

Yes, Wayfriend definitely had a point there.


Maybe I just felt intensely sorry for Covenant that he spent the last days of his life sort of alienated from the woman he loved.

[kevinswatch]

Yeah, having Kevin show up in WGW was an awesome touch.-jay

[wayfriend]

Indeed.

"Slayer of your own Dead, do you know me?"

And we were being set up to think that Covenant was going to do a Kevin before we ever got here.

"Ur-Lord, has it become with you as it was with Kevin Landwaster? Is it your intent to be parted from those who would prevent you from the Ritual of Desecration?"

Who more ominous than Kevin himself, who more intimately knowledgable of despair and Desecration -- who more believable to forewarn Linden?

"Linden Avery, you must halt the Unbeliever's mad intent. His purpose is the work of Despite. As I have done before him, he seeks to destroy that which he loves.

[SGuilfoyle1966]

When Mhoram tells Covenant in The Wounded Land that Linden would "raise some grim shades" in Andelain, I kind of thought, along the way, that we would meet her parents, after learning about what she had done to them.

I didn't conceive that she would raise ANYONE from the Land's history. What was her connection.

But it was set up by that comment.

I think the "setup" for Covenant possibly enacting a Ritual of Desecration cited above was subtle. This scene is there to ram the point home for those who don't get into subtlety.

[A Gunslinger]

Yeah, Wayfriend nailed it. Misdirection combined with privileged information. Plus, a damn powerful scene in a long string of powerful scenes. This one was completely unexpected. It floored me and filled me with that particular sense of awe I can only get from Donaldson books.

You speak truly Malik, and I agree with all.

There is also this aspect though; SRD placed that scene in WGW so that we could truly grasp the totality of Kevin's despair. Due to his own failure to recognize the true costs of his enacting of the Ritual, Kevin sees only further failure in anyone trying to defeat corruption. to Kevin's torn spirit, there is NO defeating corruption.

Yes, we are duly put on notice, and SRD ups the ante with that final stroke, but in hindsight, we are able to seethat kevin was again WRONG, and his is a lonely, despicable path.

[sherlock_525]

I really don't care why it was included, I'm just glad Kevin got to say anything. Everybody seemed kind of out of sorts with Kevin, it was good to here something from the man behind the curtain, as it were.
(Also "Slayer of your own Dead" was such a cool line )

[SGuilfoyle1966]

Im about to read WGW again, but I snuck ahead to this passage and a couple of related ones to post a couple of comments.
And Kevin's appearance was actually awesomely made a surprise by a printing situation in my paperback.
Linden is just strolling along, then feels a 'puissant" door open.
And that's the bottom of a page.
You actually have to turn a page to figure out what is going on. And then there is a little buildup before you get to "Slayer of your own dead!"
What an ironic line that is.
What Dead might Kevin have raised if he had walked Andelain after the Ritual and the breaking of the law of death?
Untold thousands, all slain by his hand.
Oh, hey, Bob. Gravelingas and Hearthrall of the Lord's Keep.
sorry about the boiling earth in that Ritual.
Oh, and jay, hirebrand and Hearthrall of the Lord's Keep. Those trees you were so fond of? Sorry they all caught fire and were immolated to ash and were never seen again.
Hey little Wraiths of Andelain. I know a couple of you survived. Whoops.
Gosh, slayer of my OWN dead. What WAS I thinking.

[INconSEQUENT]

Oh, besides, at the end of WGW we see Pitchwife scooping up TC's dead body. Whatever happened to it after that? After what he had done to the Land one would think they'd build the equivalent of Khufu's pyramid for him to say the least...

Not to be a spoiler or anything, but...

Spoiler

this particular question is answered in FR. And building the equivalent of Khufu's pyramid would be more of a Lord's speed than a true tribute to Covenant's service to the Land. SRD's resolution to what happened to Covenant's body is predictably more appropriate than any edifice, monument or memorium could convey.

<Syl: added spoiler tag>

[danlo]

I was tempted-thanks Amok!