All of those questions defy simplistic answers, which perhaps explains in part why the book is beloved by so many readers and esteemed by so many critics.
One way of beginning to answer these questions is to consider Tombs alongside others texts. Sometimes we can only see what something is and what it's doing in light of something else.
Identify a parallel between Tombs and one of our previous novel-length texts (A Wrinkle In Time, Out of the Silent Planet, The Silver Chair). These can range from a character to a plot element to a motif to a specific scene to a phrase to any other textual or authorial detail. Briefly summarize the comparison (providing page references for each) and then talk about how the similar elements shed light on Tombs (and perhaps the other text, too), either by clarifying, narrowing, or enriching your understanding of and engagement with the story (or stories).
Comments are due by noon on MONDAY, OCTOBER 22nd.
While reading The Tombs of Atuan, I have found many parallels between this book and the books we have already read. One that particularly stuck out to me was power; this reminded me of Silver Chair and A Wrinkle in Time.
ReplyDeleteIn TOA, Ged was talking to Arha about the power of the Nameless Ones and he said, “No one can withstand the Dark Ones alone. They are very strong” (p. 131). This line reminds me of the power of “IT” in WIT and the Lady of the Green Kirtle in SC. In all situations, the characters needed to overcome the “power of being controlled.” One thing that is common among all of the stories is that it is easier to overcome the power when others are around. In TOA, Ged tells Arha “The anger of the Nameless Ones is heavy on your mind. And on mine. It’s better now that you’re here, much better” (p.130). Ged has an easier time overcoming the powers when he and Arha are together. The same happens in Silent Chair; they overcome the Queen by helping each other come out of the power by saying a certain phrase or word. If they had not been together, they would not have been able to defeat the queen because they fell into her trap so easily. The first time that Meg and Calvin made it to “IT” with her father, they would have not overcome “IT” unless they were all together. Meg’s father helped her to say the Periodic Table of Elements, which helped her to focus on something else other than “IT’s” power.
The overall theme that remains the same between these three very different, yet somehow similar stories is the fact that it is easier to overcome difficult tasks when others are around to help.
There are many parallels between TOA and the other three books we have read so far. One that I see clearly between WIT, SC, and TOA is the use of a young girl as the hero or main character of the story. All three stories show how Meg, Jill, and Arha grow stronger and conquer their fears throughout their respective adventures. In WIT Meg is terrified of the Black Thing and she is not confidant about beating IT. In the end, she becomes very brave and volunteers to go back to planet Camazotz to save her younger brother Charles Wallace. When Meg volunteers to be tessered back to Camazotz she said, “I see, I understand, it has to be me. There isn’t anyone else” (216).
ReplyDeleteIn SC Jill Pole has a fear of dark cramp spaces, but overcomes that fear in the underworld. Lewis writes, “Now it happened that Jill had the same feeling about twisty passages and dark places underground, or even nearly underground, that Scrubb had about the edges of cliffs” (99). Later in the story, Jill becomes more courageous and conquers this fear in the underworld by squeezing through crevices in the dark.
In TOA, Arha is afraid of being alone in the dark until she realizes the under tomb is her domain and where she belongs. After exploring the tombs for the first time with Kossil, Arha said, “I will come alone after this.” “And then trying to turn away from Kossil she felt her legs give way, and saw the room turn over” (41). Arha faints of the thought of being alone in the under tomb by herself, knowing the risk of never finding her way out. After some practice, Arha learns to conquer her fear of the dark and the under tomb. Eventually she learns how to navigate the dark perfectly turn by turn. All three of these books have parallels of overcoming fears. The one fear each of these young girls had was the fear of darkness. Darkness is a major theme that is displayed in all of the books we have read.
One parallel I notice between The Tombs of Autan and The Silver Chair is the motif of coming back to life. In The Silver Chair King Caspian dies and is then reborn at the end of the book. Aslan explains to Eustace and Jill, “He has died. Most people have, you know. Even I have. There are very few who haven’t.” (239) Shortly afterwards Kind Caspian says, “I would be that if I appeared in Narnia now: because I don’t belong there anymore. But one can’t be a ghost in one’s own country. I might be a ghost if I got into your world.” (240) This whole scene reminds me a lot when Manan was explaining to Arha about her past. Manan says to her, “They seek the girl-child who was born on the night of the Priestess’s death.” (8) This hints at the concept of how Arha comes back to life, reborn into her own life, but in a different body. In a way, she is immortal. Aslan and King Caspian are also reborn, but in a different world.
ReplyDeleteSome motifs in The Tombs of Atuan seem somewhat similar to motifs in the book A Wrinkle in Time. A reoccurring idea that appears in both novels is the idea of darkness. Although darkness is found in different parts/sections of the book, both novels view darkness as something that is evil and negative.
ReplyDeleteIn The Tombs of Atuan, there is darkness all throughout the book because most of it takes place in the under tombs/labyrinth. The scene describes that as Arha/Tenar enters the tombs, “She was afraid, she was indeed afraid. She did not like to be here among the Nameless Ones, in their tombs, in their caves, in the dark. It was not her place, she did not belong here” (24).
In A Wrinkle in Time, darkness is also present. However, you don’t really see it throughout the novel; it is most present in one scene where Meg, Calvin, and Charles are “tessering”.
“The dark shadow was still there…and where the shadow was the stars were not visible..What could there be about a shadow that was so terrible that she knew that there had never been before or ever would be again, anything that would chill her with fear that was beyond shuddering, beyond crying or screaming, beyond the possibility of comfort?” (81-82).
The fact that these two books have the same idea of darkness shows that in The Tombs of Atuan, there is evil and darkness that is depicted as negativity. We can clearly see that throughout the book Wrinkle, where Meg shows fear and struggles when the “dark thing” is around, and then in Tombs where Arha/Tenar is when she enters the tomb even though she is led to believe that it is her “domain”. The Nameless Ones are part of the tombs and shows that it is evil as well. I think that because Wrinkle and Tombs has similar elements, this allows readers to become clearer about the Tombs book. I was confused in the beginning of this book because I wasn’t too sure about what or who were considered the “bad” side or “good” side. Part of it being confusing is because Tenar, who is the protagonist, is introduced in the beginning (already being part of the Nameless Ones). But after comparing it with Wrinkle, I can see a clear distinction on what is negative and what is positive.
While The Tombs of Atuan is difficult to decipher in terms of meaning and purpose at times, there are still similarities between it and the other novels we have read so far that helps unpack Le Guin’s story. The first thing that comes to my mind is the fluid state of rule in the Kargad Lands and Malacandra.
ReplyDeleteIn The Tombs of Atuan, Arha is the “highest of all high priestesses of the Kargad Lands, one whom not even the Godking himself might command.” (26) This seems to give Arha lots of unquestioned power at first glance, but really even she is limited in what she can do. She even complains about it to her friend Penthe when she says, “they should let me be. And not order me about all the time!” (20) This is right when the eunuch Manan is looking for Arha because he is in charge of keeping track of her. Kossil and Thar boss Arha around too, so there’s really a shared power relationship.
In Out of The Silent Planet, Ransom encounters many hnau living together in harmony with no one group ruling over the other. Sure there is Oyarsa, Maleldil The Yong and the Old One ruling the planet of Malacandra, but the different hnau are all equal and each have their own specialty. Ransom tries to get to the bottom of this by asking a hrossa, “which of the hnau rule?” The hrossa answered, “Oyarsa rules.” (70) As far as a day to day ruler on the planet, there is none. They all share and agree on everything.
Seeing this comparison to Out of The Silent Planet helps show that sharing rule can work in the Kargad Lands too. Maybe it is a bad thing if Arha has all the power and no one checks her. This puts a new perspective on my reading of The Tombs of Atuan where I don’t sympathize as much with Arha and her having to share her rule. Maybe it’s a good thing that she is watched over carefully, but things could go wrong fast if she alone rules.
I noticed that a huge similarity between The Tombs of Atuan and The Silver Chair is darkness as a physical thing.
ReplyDeleteSilver Chair, page 139, “The darkness was so complete that it made no difference at all whether you had your eyes open or shut. There was no noise.”
Tombs of Atuan, page 33, “It was absolutely black. There was no light. The dark seemed to press like wet felt upon the open eyes.”
These two passages could be interchanged and fit perfectly into either book. The TOA quote is when Arha first enters the tombs with Kossil and is describing it. In SC, the description is after Jill, Scrubb, and Puddleglum fall down the long tunnel and first reach the Underland. In both of these areas it is total and complete darkness. Where in SC the characters are only trapped in the darkness for a short time, TOA takes place almost entirely underground where light is outlawed. Also, in both stories the darkness hides the evil/bad guys. In TOA the darkness is home to the Nameless Ones, who are clearly evil and want only to destroy all except their priestess, and they only protect her as long as she honors them consistently. In SC, the witch doesn't live directly in the darkness, but they take the tunnels to a great underground city where she resides with the captive prince. Here, as in the tombs, there is no natural daylight, and the only light given off is from lanterns and torches. In both places, the darkness is almost unnatural and the characters are uncomfortable in it, though Arha is supposed to be the priestess of darkness, she still has many doubts throughout the story.
In Tombs of Atuan, there are many instances of Arha reciting the facts she’s learned about her lifestyle and occupational obligation from Kossil and Thar. When Arha recites the way she does, it is very detached and unemotional. Arha’s rigidity and monotonous tone when she explains the background of priestess and her roles as such is very comparable to the repetition of the brain that controlled the city of Camazotz in A Wrinkle in Time. The brain set a beat that the citizens of Camazotz followed with their every action and caused them to be very rigid. Though I believe Arha will eventually relax about her responsibilities as priestess, she almost seems brainwashed at first, just like the people of Camazotz. An example of this is when she is talking to Kossil and she says, “’It was all eaten,’ the girl repeated, as she had repeated daily, all the days of her life since she was six.” (p.22) In A Wrinkle in Time, a great example of the repetition is when the little boy is in the front yard bouncing the ball and he drops it out of sync and is brutally punished. I think that because the repetition and control in A Wrinkle in Time is so prominent it made it easier for me to recognize it in The Tombs of Atuan. In The Tombs of Atuan, Arha struggles with her power and her desire to be free which also pronounces the issue of control and monotony. It is interesting to me that a struggle of control and obligation can cause such problems that can easily happen in our world today, which is something we probably don’t often think about.
ReplyDeleteTombs of Atuan had many parallels to the other books we have read. A coexisting idea between The Tombs of Atuan and The Silver Chair that I noticed immediately was the idea of trusting a prisoner and setting him free, and facing the consequence of a crumbling underground world.
ReplyDeleteIn The Tombs of Atuan, Arha chose to let Ged go rather than killing him or giving him to the Dark Ones. She decided to go against what she had been raised for and kept him alive, brought him food and water, and finally released him. Even before she heard Ged's story, she trusted him and had thoughts of setting him free. On her final visit to the tombs, she brought Ged's staff with her and when he asked why, she replied, "I thought of...taking you to the door. Letting you go." (p. 141) After making her choice and disobeying her masters, the Dark Ones began a wrathful self destruction of the tombs in attempt to crush the fugitives, who barely managed to escape to freedom.
Similarly, in The Silver Chair, Jill, Eustace, and Puddleglum faced a similar decision when the Knight/Prince Rilian was bound to the silver chair. They promised each other they would not cut his bonds, but when he asked them to free him "By all fears and all loves, by the bright skies of Overland, by the great Lion, by Aslan himself" (p. 166), they had to break their promise and believe their trust in Aslan. After liberating the Prince and defeating the Queen of the Underworld, a giant crack opened in Underland and began to flood. The protagonists then had to flee to the surface.
I recognized this parallel fairly quickly while reading Tombs of Atuan, which became kind of predictable for me. The similarity to The Silver Chair gave me an idea of what would happen, so I already had a feeling that Arha would let Ged go and that the tombs would be fall apart in some way.
While reading the Tombs of Atuan I noticed some similarities with A Wrinkle in Time. One of the main similarities is the fact that in both novels there is an idea of darkness referred to multiple times throughout. Not only is this a said idea but also in both novels this darkness is negative and viewed as evil. In the Tombs of Atuan most of this darkness is in under the tombs, while in A Wrinkle in Time there is a “dark thing”.
ReplyDelete“The darkness pressed like a bandage on her eyes.” (71) This takes place when Ahra is first taken into her tunnels. Throughout the rest of the book there are various other places where darkness plays a prevalent role.
“Darkness glazed her eyes and mind…” (82) After first seeing the “dark thing” Meg is almost pushed into unconsciousness and is very overwhelmed by the whole idea that her father is fighting this “dark thing”.
Both Meg and Arha/Tenar have a connected with the darkness in the books, Arha/Tenar is very powerful in the tombs and Meg’s father is fighting the darkness. In both of these books Meg and Arha/Tenar are fearful of the darkness even with Arha/Tenar believing it is her domain. Darkness is considered a negative aspect in both books but each character is able to deal with and overcome this aspect.
One similarity between Tombs of Atuan and The Silver Chair is the way a character was taken from their homeland and given a new identity with no consideration or remembrance of their old life at first. Then later in the book we see something spark memory and the two characters are reborn into their old identity. Arha is taken from her home and “as she grew older she lost all remembrance” of her former identity (page 7). In The Silver Chair Prince Caspin is taken away from his homeland, Narnia, and is placed under a spell that makes him forget his identity. While he was enchanted “he could not remember his true self” (page 169).
ReplyDeleteBoth characters are given this promise or illusion of power in their new worlds. Arha from Tombs of Atuan is the One Priestess who is above all and “has all the keys to the dark places” (page 32). Arha is given domain over the whole underworld. Similarily Prince Caspin is kept in the underworld and promised the ability to be “crowned king” of the Overworld when the time comes (page 157). Although one rules over the underworld and darkness and one is promised to rule over the Overworld and light, both are under the impression that they have great power.
A parallel that I see between Tombs of Atuan and Out of the Silent Planet is the motif of color. Color continually reappears throughout each book, in each book and every time it appears there is a different meaning lying behind it.
ReplyDeleteIn Tombs of Atuan, in the very beginning everything is described as dark, or black. This reoccurring theme portrays a dark place. The description of the places and wardrobes are described as dark or black. "Two came, tall women looming in their black..." (p. 1) "At the foot of the steps leading up to the throne, where the others now waited in dark rows, the two tall women halted." (p.2) When the only color used is dark or black the author depicts a weary place that seems like nothing good will happen.
Likewise, in Out of The Silent Planet, Lewis used many different describing words of color. Most of the words used while Ransom was still on Earth were dark, "A violent yellow sunset was pouring through a rift the in clouds to westward, but straight ahead over the hills the sky was the colour of dark slate." (p.1) Once Ransom got to Malacandra everything was described in bright vibrant colors. At about an hour after noon Ransom took a last, long look at the blue waters, purple forest and remote green walls of the familiar handramit and followed the other two through the manhole." (p. 142)
Such description enables one to be able to see and picture their own view of each place in both books. In TOA it is a dark dreary place, but in OSP, Malacandra is full of vibrant colors that invite you into a new world.
While reading the Tombs of Atuan, I noticed many parallels between the story and the other books we have read in class this year. However, I found one comparison between Tombs of Atuan and Out of the Silent Planet that I found particularly striking.
ReplyDeleteOn page 102 of Out of the Silent Planet, a sorn says “It is because every one of them wants to be a little Oyarsa himself,” when he is discussing the human race. In the Tombs of Atuan, Kossil speaks a very similar phrase when teaching Arha about the wizards who attempted to break into the tombs on page 59, “They have no gods. They work magic, and think they are gods themselves.”
These two sentences are almost one in the same. They both comment on the fault of living life only for yourself versus for a higher god. In both stories, the main character understands and appreciates the need of a god/oyarsa, and the “villains” do not.
For me, these phrases opened a window of understanding in the book. Before coming to the phrases about living a life without god in each book, I only had a shallow understanding of their religious messages. I tend to read books for their page turning qualities, and often miss the greater meaning. However, these quotations made me stop and think about the authors potential intention for writing their novel.
I look forward to discovering more parallels between the Tombs of Atuan and other texts we have read this year. They help me to take a step back, and analyze the meaning of their inclusion in the story.
Until I was prompted to make connections between TOA and other books we read, I was oblivious to the parallels between TOA and SC, specifically between Arha and Prince Rilian. The two characters are both imprisoned somewhat unknowingly and against their will. Both are held captive in the darkness by a dark and evil woman. The witch in SC holds Prince Rilian captive in the darkness of the underworld, where “few return to the sunlit lands” (147). While enchanted the Prince cannot remember his past or his home. He is what the witch has made him into and nothing more. When released from the enchantments, he is able to clearly see the evil that the witch had intended for him to do. He is able to remember who he is and his identity is given back to him.
ReplyDeleteThese observations go hand in hand with the internal battle that Arha is facing. She too is held captive, unknowingly, by the Nameless Ones and by Kossil. So long has she been told that she is the eaten one that belongs to the evil powers of the Nameless Ones, that she has no idea that she has a choice in the matter. Kossil pressures her to be cruel and evil in order to pleasure the gods as she sneers at Arha for not providing a cruel enough death sentence for the prisoners (37). Arha struggles with this evil and wishes to not do it again. When Ged enters the tombs Kossil demanded that he be killed while Arha wishes no such evil upon him. Ged helps Arha regain her identity as Tenar. He helps free her from the grasp of the evils of the darkness that is contained in the Undertomb. When they escape, Tenar’s eyes are truly opened to the evil that she herself has propagated. She tells Ged, “I betrayed my own people. I have no people. And I have done a very evil thing” (176).
The similarities between the two characters seem to unfold as connections are made. Kossil and the witch are both involved in detaining the characters as prisoners. They cause Rilian and Arha to do evil things that, in truth, are deeds that both despise. Their containment was done without the knowledge of the characters. Both were held captive by dark places, either the Underworld or the Undertombs. When freed, the characters regain their true identity and the evil deeds were repented.
I noticed a parallel between The Silver Chair and The Tombs of Atuan. I think that being underground has two different effects on the girls in the story. Since Arha was a priestess she was made to be underground and she could think more clearly in complete darkness. "Then the light was gone. All splendor gone. Blind dark, and silence. Now she could think again. She was released from the spell of the light."(p70)
ReplyDeleteWhereas in The Silver Chair the farther Jill went Underground into the caves the less she could think clearly so much so she almost go brained washed fairly easily. (p175-180)
Another parallel that I notice between the two books is the great amount of respect for higher beings. In The Silver Chair all of the creatures of Narnia respect and honor Aslan. The Queen of Underland even trembles at the sound of his name (p 179). In the Tombs of Atuan the was great respect for the Nameless Ones often times Arha could not understand how people did not have more respect for them.(p59)
The Tombs of Atuan is an easy book to read but it is hard to understand. There are many parts in this book that seem to have the same element in other books. One big reoccurring theme is the darkness and the light. Throughout the Tombs of Atuan, Arha talks about how she feels comfortable and safe in the darkness because she knows it is here home. (68) This compares to how the Earthmen feel about the darkness when they are in the underworld. (142-143) When people cannot see what would normally scare them they feel less afraid. I think the fact that most of these characters in the books like the dark because then to don’t truly have to see what could be happening.
ReplyDeleteAnother comparison would be that in the Tombs of Atuan there starts off with a real mother and father but then Arha is taken away from them. She is then taken over by two older women and a man that acts as her guard. These new people will teach her what directions to go and what is supposed to be done. (prologue & pg 1-2) This also happens in a Wrinkle in time. Meg is taken away from her mother by three older women to be sent on a journey. The three older women then teach Meg what directions to go in and what will help her to accomplish her tasks. (109-110) Both of these stories show that other people will come into a person’s life and they will teach them something’s that parents cannot always teach their children. Also, it is interesting to see that these new people in their lives were people they had never met before.
One thing I noticed between the Tombs of Atuan and Out of the Silent Planet, is that Penthe and Ransom have a similar situation. Arha talks to Penthe and Penthe tells a story of how she used to live by the ocean. Also, she talked about she did not want to be there but they brought here there. (45-47) This compares to how Ransom tells Hoyi that he was taken without wanting to go along. And he explains where he used to live, Earth. There is a difference between this parallel though, Penthe is just a side character and Ransom is the main character. Both characters though know they do not belong in the new place and atmosphere but they try their best to learn from it and even teach other people about what they think. Penthe is able to help Arha see the “place” in a new way, and Ransom is taught to see human life in a new way by the hross.
The Tombs of Atuan has many parallels to other books. It can be a good thing to look back at another book and maybe try and decipher a meaning but it may also run the book. I did not like the Tombs of Atuan as much because I felt that I had already read so much about the darkness and the light fighting. Also, if I have to turn to another book to find the meaning of a different book then it is not an enjoyable read. I did like finding certain situations from the other books we read because it made me want to go back and reread the books again.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThe similarity that immediately struck out to me was on page 59 of The Tombs of Atuan when Kossil said, “They have no gods. They work magic, and think they are gods themselves,” when she was talking about the wizards. This is exactly like in Out of the Silent Planet on page 102 when they are speaking to Ransom about his planet (Earth). One sorn says, “It is because they have no Oyarsa,” and the other sorn, Augray, replies with, “It is because every one of them wants to be a little Oyarsa himself.” Both of these phrases from these books are talking about how they do not follow a higher power because they want to be the most powerful thing themselves. In both cases this is viewed as a very negative ideal.
ReplyDeleteEven though these similarities exist between TOA and OSP, the idea of gods are very opposite in each book. In TOA, the gods rule by strict rules and powers, and are to be feared and followed without question. The gods in Arha’s life are there to control everyone and keep them in line. It reminds me of the way that IT rules Camazots in A Wrinkle in Time also – everyone seems happy to follow him on the surface, but deep down it is just extreme fear that makes them obey him. They have peace, but it is false in a way. This is very different from OSP. All of the hnau of Malacandra completely agree on the hierarchy on their planets – the hnau are ruled by the elidu who are ruled by Oyarsa who is ruled by Maleldil. Everyone is peaceful on the planet, but it is not out of fear. They follow Maleldil out of their own free will, and it is out of love and reverence. This is how Aslan is rules/is followed in Silver Chair as well. In TOA and WIT, their gods/ruler is a negative aspect of their life, but in OSP and SC, it is a positive thing.
The Tombs of Atuan paralleled Out of the Silent Planet by the relationships of the allies and antagonists of our protagonists for me. So far as I have read (through Chapter 9), Kossil has began to emerge as the main antagonist. Kossil has always seemed to have a cold nature about her in the book; she seemed only barely able to tolerate Arha. She seemed to revile her because of Arha's position of power. Underneath the pretense, it is clear neither Kossil nor Arha trust each other.
ReplyDeleteIn Out of The Silent Planet, we have two antagonists: Winston and Devine. I want to focus on Devine. Ransom and Devine went through University together. When they first meet, it is under the pretense of friendship although Ransom makes it clear in his inner monologue that he saw Devine as a person who was cruel and gained popularity at the expense of others. It was revealed that the feeling of dislike was mutual further on into the novel.
The antagonists in both have a long history with our protagonists, Arha and Ransom. They tolerate each only because the society around them commands it. Both Kossil and Devine leap at the chance to strike down their colleague when the moment arises; Devine eagerly offering up Ransom as a sacrifice. Kossil's plotting, is still a mystery to me, although Manaan strongly cautions Arha of imminent danger.
Also, there is the matter of the Sorn and Ged. Both of these characters could be said are very different from our antagonists and which frightens our heroes. Arha feels provoked to punish Ged because he is a man in the Undertombs (page 80, ToA), a place that forbids the presence thereof. Ransom's position is just the inverse. Ransom is the alien on the planet of Melcarba and the Sorns are a part of the trinity of the dominant species. Eventually, the Sorn become an ally and a friend to Ransom. They teach Ransom about the rest of the universe and of Oyarsa. Arha undergoes something similar with Ged. Through Ged, Arha learns her true name, Tenar (page 114, ToA). It is through Ged that Arha learns of the world outside: of the Inner Isles, of dragonlords, and of the Ring of Erreth-Akbe. What were viewed as villains eventually become mentors of Arha and Ransom.
In the Tombs of Atuan I saw how the two main characters are like some of the characters in The Silver Chair. Ged is like the Prince in many ways. Both are trapped in the darkness by a woman. Ged is in the darkness of the Nameless Ones and the Prince is wrapped up in his black suit of armor and he is underground. There are mystic powers at work to keep the men where they are. They are both saved by a girl. (Even though Tenar keeps him in there.) When they try to leave both can’t see where they are going and something tries to stop them. Ged and the Prince both go to where they get trapped. Ged goes into the Tombs and the Prince follows the “witch.” Though Ged is wiser than the Prince so Ged is like Puddleglum as the guide for Tenar (even though Ged is the main character in the series.) Tenar is like Scrubb in the way that both have they’re bratty moments in the books. But she is a child like Pole and Scrubb that goes off with a male guide on adventure. -Paige Landis
ReplyDeleteA theme I've noticed in every book we've read is the theme of home. The protagonist (or protagonists) in each book is called away from their home in order to complete their journey. Ransom in Out of the Silent Planet is called from Earth to Thulcandra, Meg from A Wrinkle in Time goes to Camazotz to rescue her father, Eustace and Jill from The Silver Chair of course travel to Narnia, and lastly, Arha is taken from her home and family to serve as the High Priestess and protect the Tombs of Atuan. The difference in these, however, is that Arha does not seem to have much of a chance of returning to her home, whereas it was the other characters' main goal after completing their respective journeys.
ReplyDeleteI think this theme of home is important because it helps the readers connect to the characters. Most everyone feels a connection to some one place, person, or thing, and thus a character being taken away from their home will most likely evoke empathy from readers and make them want to read more.
While reading the Tombs of Atuan the biggest theme that seems to be in all of the books we have been reading is the fear that the main characters encounter and most overcome. There is always at least one point when the author shares with us the intense fear that a character is feeling. It seems to me that no matter what kind of book you are reading fear seems to be a driving factor at some point.
ReplyDeleteIn TOA there is a point when Arha is walking through the Tombs and the author let's us know how afraid she really is. "She was afraid, she was indeed afraid. She did not like to be here among the Nameless Ones, in their tombs, in their caves..." (p24).
In much the same way in the Silver chair there is several times that fear is present for the characters. When the evil witch in turning into a green serpent there is a point when Scrubb and Jill get a quick stab of fear before they most react which most readers can identify with. " When they did look their hair nearly stood on end."(p182)
These two examples of fear in the books seem very realistic and would be common to most readers. I strongly feel that expressing these dealing in the text is a great way for the authors to invoke emotions from the readers almost immediately because these types of situations and fears have happened to most of us readers.
While thinking about parallels between TOA and the other books we have read in class I found many parallels that can help explain what is going on. One in particular that stood out to me is the connection between WIT. One in particular is how the people on Camazotz are all alike and act alike. On page 118 in WIT the one child drops his ball and the mother states that the children in their section never drop their balls. Later on in the book on page 158 they see the child from earlier being forced to bounce a ball that shocks him every time he bounces it. The parallel to TOA is how Arha is the eaten one and is not suppose to remember her past. On page 22 in TOA after Penthe is whipped Arha is told "You are Arha. There is nothing left. It was eaten." Then Arha repeats, "There is nothing left. It was all eaten." Comparing this to WIT you can see that there is a form of brainwashing going on in a way. All the people in Camazotz are trained to act the exact same way together and they are punished/re-taught. In TOA Arha is constantly reminded that she is the eaten one and all is gone, to remember this she must repeat this. This parallel shows that the possible plot of the book is Arha breaking away from being the eaten one like Meg had to do with Charles Wallace to save him from IT.
ReplyDeleteArha/Tenar and Meg have a connection because they are both fighting against being individuals and being turned into being selfless. IT tries to get Meg to turn herself over to him and Tenar is the eaten one which means she is the reincarnation of Arha. They both have to decide to either give in and live their life that way or rebel and be themselves.
There are several parallels that can be drawn between the books we have previously read and Tombs of Atuan. For me, it is easiest to see comparisons between characters. My favorite parallel is between Ransom from Out of the Silent Planet, when he discovers language and when Arha sees the walls of the Undertomb. Both characters have previous been thrown into different environments from the ones they were born into with their consent; someone else made the decision for them. However, something changes the way the two main characters see their landscape and make them yearn to know more. Ransom wishes to understand the linguistics and Arha yearns to see the glittering walls of the Undertombs again and to know more about the mysterious man who has broken into her lair. Ransom is on the run, trying to figure out how to survive in this completely foreign land. The spark where he discovers language occurs on page 56, described as “The love of knowledge is a kind of madness”. This realization changes Ransom entire outlook. He then exposes himself to the creature without knowing if it’s friendly, “…while he still knew that he might be facing instant death, his imagination had leap over every fear and hope and probability of his situation…” (pg 56). Arha experiences a similar change in viewpoint when she “saw what she had never seen before…the great vaulted cavern beneath the Tombstones, jeweled with crystals and ornamented with pinnacles of filigrees of white limestone where the waters under the earth had worked, eons since: immense with glittering roof and walls, sparkling, delicate, intricate, a palace of diamonds, a house of amethyst and crystal from which the ancient darkness had been driven out by glory” (pg. 68-69). When she realizes that there is light in the cavern, Arha describes it as “strange beyond thought, beyond fear, this faint blooming light where no light had ever been, in the inmost grave of darkness” (pg. 68). Since I can more closely relate to Arha’s eye opening, reading that passage enriched Out of the Silent Planet for me because I am know able to better understand Ransom’s thoughts and feelings.
ReplyDeleteThe psychology of the characters is always what fascinates me most when I read a story—I want to know what they are thinking and feeling and what motivates them, because that is what explains and determines how they behave. (Right now Arha has me completely, delightfully confused.)The same is true for people in real life--if you want to figure out why someone is behaving in a certain manner, you need to listen to and watch them to figure out what it is that they want to get, do, or become. I believe both A Wrinkle in Time and The Tombs of Atuan are stories about the personal growth and changing mindsets in two young women, Meg and Arha, as they encounter the challenges that their circumstances toss them into.
ReplyDeleteWhile Meg and Arha are approximately the same age (Meg is a freshman in high school and Arha comes of age at fourteen), on the surface they appear to have vastly different personalities and motivations. Meg wears her weakness and lack of confidence on her sleeve—she doesn’t try to hide her insecurity or act tougher and stronger than she feels. I feel sympathy for Meg, because I went through a similar phrase when I felt awkward and ugly (Meg describes herself as having glasses, braces, and mouse-brown hair, p.10) and just wanted to feel liked by somebody, anybody. For example, Meg continually tries to hold hands with Calvin and Charles Wallace at points along their journey when she is scared, and she immediately forgets her fears when entering the “haunted” house of Mrs. Whatsit and her two friends when both boys show their support for her (“happiness at their concern was so strong in her that her panic fled…”, p.41). Meg’s confidence and independence gradually grow throughout the story as she is forced to solve problems on her own.
In contrast, Arha is more “thorny”, which makes her more interesting and complex. I initially felt pity and sadness for Arha because she was forcibly taken from her mother, who loved her enough to risk punishment for making it seem as if her baby had smallpox by daubing her with berry juice (p.10), but Arha’s later merciless behavior made me lose this pity. Arha’s training to be the Priestess of the Tombs “hardens” her, and she isn’t emotional and compassionate, or weak—on the surface, at least. She knowingly caused her friend Penthe to get a whipping from Kossil for sitting on the Men’s Wall, bad behavior which she initiated, when she knew she herself would not get punished (p.21). Arha also sacrifices her three prisoners to death by starvation and lack of water, a painful death made all the more merciless because it kills slowly (p.38).
Arha’s personality displays interesting conflicting twists of emotions at several points that make me believe she is not completely heartless, however. After pronouncing the prisoners’ punishment, she seeks Kossil’s approval (p.38-39), which seems to suggest a lack of confidence. Arha’s reaction when alone with Manan after witnessing Penthe’s punishment displays her coincidental feelings of power and compassion or loneliness. (“They can’t touch me. I am Arha,” she said in a shrill, fierce voice, and burst into tears”. p.23) Arha’s dreams also reveal that she is not wholly unaffected by the death sentence she has pronounced for the prisoners and she wakes in the night screaming “they aren’t dead yet! They are still dying!” (p.42).
In my reading I’m right at the part of The Tombs of Atuan where Arha has discovered a wizard in the Treasury of the Tombs. Everything she knows so far points her to believe he is a sorcerer bent on stealing the other half of the amulet of Erreth-Akbe. He is an intruder in her beloved, sacred tombs, yet she is deeply intrigued by him. She traps him in the chamber behind the red rock door, but after she watches him through the spy hole in her Small House, she simply slips away to her room…WHY does she hesitate? Why doesn’t she immediately tell someone and have him killed? Arha’s unwillingness to tell anyone else about the intruder shows that she is becoming more autonomous and less dependent on Kossil and Manan.
I believe that Tombs of Atuan finds itself with more of a parallel with A Wrinkle in Time than any of the other novels we’ve read so far in the class. This is for many different reasons, the first of which has to do with the protagonist in each. Both Meg and Arha are obviously both girls, but more than that, they both find themselves in a situation at the beginning of their respective stories where they are quite unlike the rest of their peers or society as a whole. Meg does not quite fit in at school and does not seem to have any true friends in her age group. Arha is isolated from the rest of society and her own peers in order to become the Eaten One. Furthermore, the two spend a great deal of time in places quite unlike that which the rest of society finds themselves in. Meg is swept off to far off lands as she fights off the black thing while trying to find her father. Arha finds herself below the earth in the Labyrinth and Undertomb, far removed from others. For these and multiple other reasons, the protagonists of the Tombs of Atuan and A Wrinkle in Time parallel each other.
ReplyDeleteThere are many parallels between Tombs of Atuan and A Wrinkle in Time. In TOA and WIT, there are is a reoccurring theme of darkness. In both books, darkness means something bad and that there is no good when it comes to darkness. The Nameless Ones (TOA) and ‘IT’ (WIT) are another parallel between these two books. Both have powers that are very hard to overcome. Education is another reoccurring theme in both TOA and WIT. Both Arha and Meg are forced to repeat things over and over again. “That had told her till she knew the words by heart, and she recited them (page 8).” This is similar to when Meg’s father had Meg recit the periodic table to fight against ‘IT’. There are also parallels between many of the characters. Prince Rilian in the Silver Chair and Arha from Tombs of Atuan are very similar to each other. Both of these characters are held captive without realizing that they are not supposed to be imprisoned. Prince Rilian is held in the underworld by the witch. Arha is facing an internal battle. She is being held by Kossil and the Nameless Ones. The witch and Kossil also share many similarities. They are both holding a person captive and messing with their mind to make them believe things that are not true. These two books share many parallels when it comes to themes and characters, but overall all three of these books are very different.
ReplyDeleteI think that TOA can relate to all of the different books we have taken home in read in different ways. One similarity that stands out to me is the vibe of the writing in both TOA and OSP. I think that since both of the main characters in these books were thrown into different environments that they really didn’t know anything about, makes the book eerie. Ransom was thrown onto a different planet, not knowing what species lied there or what was to be expected of him. He just assumed death. Artha is thrown into a completely different environment as well, a tomb. These places bring about a certain fear when reading both these books. I think this is mostly because of the unawareness of what is to come to both the main characters. You can feel the character’s fear of not knowing what is going on. In order for me to understand how Artha is feeling better, I can remember back to what it was like reading about ransom. It helps me feel what she is feeling, and it also helps me think of what is to come for her.
ReplyDeleteI see a parallel between the main characters Arha and Jill from The Silver Chair. In both books the main characters are trying to find out who they are through their journey without actually knowing that that is what they are doing.
ReplyDeleteIn The Silver Chair Jill starts off as rather weak of a person, especially mentally. She is very stubborn and refuses to accept her mistakes as a learning tool at first by blaming others as the fault of her own. But after discoveries along her journey she admits that being off track was indeed her fault (page 118). Arha on the other hand doesn’t have an identity at all anymore and though she isn’t looking for who she was she was reminded by the sorcerer once he called her by her birth name (page 114-116). Even before the sorcerer mentioned this, Arha was already drifting from the duties required of the highest priestess especially by saving the life of the sorcerer. Furthermore from here on out the sorcerer tells Arha more of what she really is, just a slave. The Nameless Ones don’t require her and she has broken away (page 129). From this point on I believe Arha will be more interested in learning her own identity as Tenar than that of the Eaten One any longer.
Other times through the book before knowing of any strength they had inside them they would break down and cry. On page 19 of The Silver Chair Jill bursts into tears after forcing Scrubb off the cliff. She was lost and fearful of what was going on and she couldn’t take it anymore and let out her anguish. Later on in events in the book Jill was much stronger and didn’t break down as badly in fear. Jill grew stronger in courage. The same thing exists for Arha in The Tombs of Atuan when she is overwhelmed by Kossil and the power that she wishes to keep over everyone and how far she would go to keep it. Arha takes comfort with the sorcerer and cries out her fears of the situation because she can’t see the strength inside her to deal with it (page 125). But the sorcerer’s words help relieve her and then she becomes stronger of her will to solve the situation.
Both characters go through a rather different set of circumstances but in the end it’s about the character seeming weak and uncoordinated at first but then grows stronger in their courage, will, and identity to perhaps shine as a great hero at the end of the story.
It's easy to find connections between The Tombs of Atuan and all of the other major books we have read this semester. I tend to compare books through their characters, and I think the most obvious connection is Meg and Arha. Both are young ladies with very low confidence. Meg is always looking for support from either Charles Wallace or Calvin, and Arha leans primarily on Manan, but still resorts to asking for advice or approval from Kossil and Thar. Neither feels like they belong. Meg isn't popular at school, and never really has friends until Calvin comes along. Arha is always kept separate from the other priestesses, even when it came to sleeping quarters. Her only friend is really Penthe. 'It' tries to convince Meg to relinquish control of her brain and follow him, which is quite similar to Kossil and Thar telling Arha all about being The Eaten One. They cast out 'Tenar', and try to convince her that she has this long past of being the First Priestess. This brings me to Arha always battling with herself. She never quite accepts that she is The Eaten One. She can never quite live up to her role as priestess of the Nameless Ones. Instead of immediately killing Ged, like a good High Priestess would do, she is intrigued by him and lets him live. Meg battles with her identity as well. She is never sure of herself, her physical appearance, or her abilities.
ReplyDeleteFrom Out of the Silent Planet, I see Devine and Weston as being very similar to Kossil and Thar. Devine and Weston take Ransom from his home, and bring him to Malacandra. Kossil and Thar take Tenar from her home, and bring her to the Temples. Devine and Kossil both inspire fear and distrust. Their is a strong feeling of malice that we gather from them in the direction of our main characters. Both allow Ransom and Arha to roam free in their respective prisons (spaceship and maze). Thar and Weston are both still somewhat intimidating and warden-like figures, but are more respectful characters, not really meaning ill towards the main character.
In regards to The Silver Chair, I see Ged and Puddleglum as being quite similar. Most obviously, both are guides. Puddleglum guides Jill and Eustace, while Ged guides Arha (although that isn't until the very end). Although Ged does not have that odd cheery, pesstimistic view that we all cherish in Puddleglum, he does share a great deal of wisdom with this character. Puddleglum is always wise enough to know that they should follow Aslan's signs, even if it doesn't look like the best of ideas. He keeps the kids on task, or tries at least. Ged gives knowledge to Arha to help guide her as well. He gives her her true name, which is a big step in the first place. This is much the same as giving back to her her identity. He also guides her out of the tunnels, even though she is terrified, and tries to stay. He helps her overcome her fear, at least to a degree that allowed her to leave and not become crushed by the earthquake.
None of these books are exactly the same, but you can definitely see where they might have influenced one another. Or maybe there are just only so many types of characters you can have in a story. Either way, all of these stories are very relatable.
A parallel I found between TOA and OTSP was the relationship between Ged and Tenar, versus Ransom and the Oyarsa. Tenar found Ged to be intereting because he has worldly experience compared to her singular experience as a lonely priestess. Ged has traveled across the land, has battled dragons and shadow fiends. Tenar, on the other hand, has experienced scarcely anything in her few years. She is entranced by his stories of princesses and lands far away, and I think this is very comparable to Ransom meeting the Oyarsa for the first time. The Oyarsa is a being so much beyond Ransom's comprehension, and yet he still tries to understand it. I think this helps me understand Tenar's and Ged's relationship in that it is like meeting a whole nothing being for the first time. That is why Tenar could not kills him right away. That is why she had to disobey everything she had known to keep this man alive. I think it is also worthy to note that in the end, it all came down trust. Ged had to trust Tenar to lead him out of the darkness and the Ransom had to decide to trust the Oyarsa to get him home.
ReplyDeleteThe main parallel I've noticed in The Tombs of Atuan is the coming of age aspect of the book. I've noticed in most of the books we've read they involve young teenage girls who are trying to find their identity. Meg from "Wrinkle in Time," Jill from "The Silver Chair," and Arha from "The Tombs of Atuan" all fit this mold. Arha is facing a little different situation since it isn't about her trying to fit in at school, but I feel like it is still a big part of a young persons life trying to find your identity. I think that is why it is such a universal theme in many books we read and many other stories as well. Arha doesn't have many people she can relate to. Even her friend Penthe has a very different life than Arha as is evident when she gets punished and Arha doesn't. I feel like this relates especially with Meg. Meg wishes she fit in like her brothers "the twins." She doesn't have anybody to relate to in her school life, just like Arha doesn't have anybody to relate to at Atuan. In all of these stories the girls seem to find their way and find a niche which they fit into. I think this is another very common part of growing up. Meg finds a group of people who appreciate her with her family and Calvin, and at the end of "The Silver Chair" it seems like the bullies at Experiment house were taken care of by Aslan. Tenar doesn't really find a niche but she does seem to become more comfortable with herself as Arha and a little more set in her role at Atuan.
ReplyDelete