Kevin's Watch

SPOILERS**SPOILERS**SPOILERS**SPOILERS**




At the end of WGW, before she fades, Linden

Spoiler

straightens Pitchwife's spine.

I wonder if this ends up being a detriment to Pitchwife's ability to do his job. After all, he tells Linden earlier in the series that he is good at his job because he can fit into small spaces - spaces other giants cannot - because of his bent back. Did Linden do him a disservice by this act?

Possibly, but I think the main benefit is that Pitchwife always felt himself to be a burden upon the First, and considered some of her love/care for him was borne out of pity.

Psychologically, Pitchwife stands to benefit a lot from

Spoiler

having his spine straightened

, as he would be free of this self-doubt.

(unless of course if the First suddenly dumped him)

I believe he does say that at one point, yes. (I am sure Fist or Furls can provide an exact quote )...
I am sure that Linden meant well when she did that...and that Pitch will find other things to do, if it does impair his ability to perform that particular job (he did seem to love his job, though...)

It seemed to me that Pitchwife had already dealt with his deformity and what happened with the First's father. Yes, it helped him but did it also hinder him? After all, he has lived all his life deformed. It would be a great gift to heal him but what about his ability to do his wiving? Altering him could alter his abilities, could it not?

(Don't get me wrong - I am not slamming Linden for trying to help Pitchwife. I think it was wonderful of her to do that. It just occurred to me that she may have done more harm than good. It is possible, especially in the Land and especially with TC and Linden!)

Yep it would sure alter his abilities, it would add abilities, but as stated earlier it would take away his only-little-bloke-on-the-boat abilities.

But I stand by the benefit he'd receive in attending to the deep, well-disguised, sorrow he has felt over his deformity.

I would think so, because if nothing else, he might not be able to fit into the tight spaces he could previously.
And his wife certainly didn't seem to mind his disability, if the sneaking into the bushes in Andelain is any indication.

Yeah yeah yeah but deep-down HE was affected by a feeling of unworth. No matter how many other people displayed how much he meant to them and that he was great how he was, he DID experience some form of self-esteem problem. He covered it up well, but I could still sense it.

Maybe that is a guy thing. But I agree, Landwaster, especially with the event in Elmensedene. I am very happy it happened but it is kind of like one of those things that happen in the Land - you try to do good and it backfires on you. Like TC did with the Ranyhyn - sending them to Lena - they ended up staying and almost becoming extinct. I am just wondering what repercussions could come of it.

That is the way things seem to happen in the Land...TC's bargains...Mhoram's decision to follow a new path...everything seems to have repercussions...

Yep, not too many loose ends in TCTC!

No good deed goes unpunished in the Land. Foul makes sure of this.

But Linden does this for Pitchwife so that she can trust herself later., Or so she says to herself at the time.

Not sure what this means though. And Foul is in no position at the end of WGW to do much about anything for a while.

I think Pitchwife had indicated earlier that wiving suited him not only because he could fit into small places but also because there was no other position on the ship that would suit him better.He pointed out that he was not nibble in sails due to his stature and various other duties were not in his abilities.
I think there must be other wivers in the giant fleet that were not deformed like Pitchwife and yet they are able to do their job.Linden's last act in the land was a gift to Pitchwife and the First and a well deserved one at that.

There is another reason that Linden did what she did for one of my FAVORITE Giants. He had difficulty breathing due to his deformity and thus by taking care of his

Spoiler

spine

he would be able to breathe freely again. What Linden did was probably the instinctive reaction of a physician more than anything else. So that she can trust herself later... means to me that she can trust herself to

Spoiler

HEAL rather than KILL

The first loved him regardless as she related her "testing" at the Elmensedene I don't have the exact quote but she saw the Elohim as her husband hale and whole and without flaw and she laughed because she said that she learned to love the man/giant within rather the giant without. Pitchwife's reaction was the same (I believe) when shown the same thing.

One of my favorite quotes from TWGW was from Covenant (?) after the two giants appeared from being Consipculously absent in Andelain...

If you two keep that up you're gonna be parents whether you're ready or not"

It was probably the first time the First was embarrassed enough to blush.

There's a love story in-of-itself between the First and Pitchwife. Brought together by tragedy, bound by love that bloomed.

What gets me is the fact that the First was still able to LOVE him despite his causing

Spoiler

her father's death

and his being some years older than her... quite a few years older if I recall. Of course the giants are long-lived but I'm under the impression that Pitchwife and the First's father were of the same age. Interesting dynamics in THAT relationship wouldn't ya say?

Well, here's the Pitchwife quote. I'll see if I can find the First's.

This is when Pitchwife told Linden of his testing by the Elohim named Starkin. Starkin transformed himself to look like Pitchwife.

"Yet not myself as you behold me, but rather myself as I might be in dreams. A Pitchwife of untainted birth and perfect growth. Withal that the image was mine beyond mistaking, he stood straight and tall above me, in all ways immaculately made, and beautiful with the beauty of Giants. He was myself as even Gossamer Glowlimn my love might desire me in her pity. For who would not have loved such a Giant, or desired him?

"Chosen" - he met Linden with his clear gaze - "there was woe in that sight. In my life I have been taught many things, but until that moment I had not been taught to look upon myself and descry that I was ugly. At my birth, a jest had been wrought upon me - a jest the cruelty of which Starkin displayed before me."

And Seafoam, although you remembered that "parents" quote nearly perfectly, it was Linden who said it.

I would rather be normal and not be able to do the job that Pitchwife had. I mean who cares if he couldn't do the pitch thing anymore? I'll bet he didn't.

I'd be surprised if he couldn't find a way to get by. And I doubt the Giants have people living on the streets.

But this conversation, between Linden and him, makes me wonder:

"Is that more of your pitch? How do you make it?"

At that, he laughed, and his mirth came more easily. "Yes, Chosen. In all good sooth, this is my pitch. The vat is formed of dolomite, that it may not be fused as would the stone of Starfare's Gem. But as to the making of pitch - ah, that it skills nothing for me to relate. You are neither Giant nor wiver. And the power of pitch arises as does any other, from the essence of the adept who wields it. All power is an articulation of its wielder. There is no other source than life - and the desire of that life to express itself. But there must also be a means of articulation. I can say little but that this pitch is my chosen means. Having said that, I have left you scarce wiser than before."

Linden shrugged away his disclaimer. "Then what you're saying," she murmured slowly, "is that the power of wild magic comes from Covenant himself? The ring is just his - his means of articulation?"

He nodded. "I believe that to be sooth. But the means controls intimately the nature of what may be expressed. By my pitch I may accomplish nothing for the knitting of broken limbs, just as no theurgy of the flesh may seal stone as I do."

Since he can't get into the cramped areas anymore, can Pitchwife use his power for something else? Or is pitchwiving his only means of articulating power, meaning he'll have to give it up entirely, and do something physical? Which he'd probably love, considering he was unable to do such things before. But I suppose he could still work the pitch on things that are not little cramped spaces. His ability with it would seem to be exceptional, and I doubt the Giants would want to lose it entirely.

I think that Pitchwife will get along just fine. He always felt that the First loved him more out of pity then anything else. I think his desire to be "whole" outweighed his desire to get into the cramped places.

Linden gave him an incredible gift.

Pshaw! What's the problem? Pitch and the First will just have scads of little Giants who can fit into any cramped spaces necessary. I know Pitch would love to teach them all!

Pitchwife being responsible for the death of the First's father provided Linden with a much-needed model for untainted love and redemption.

Linden was shown that someone responsible for another's death could still in fact be worthy and even loved by one close to the person lost.

Spoiler

I think we all agree that Linden's gift of spine-straightening at the end of WGW was the right thing to do: it was within her power, and it was her way of thanking the two Giants that to me had the greatest effect on her own emotional healing, since they were the model for the family life she never had.

While it may have caused some fleeting problems with getting into tight spaces, Pitchwife's Wiving skill itself was not affected, and he finally got a body tall enough to fit his great heart.

Our world needs more Giants.

DukkhaWaynhim

Exactly DW!..btw, I LOVE ur title!