Eldest: Character Arcs
*SPOILER WARNING*
Previously Roran and his life in Carvahall are not narrated on in Eragon where Eragon is the main focus as he journey's across the country of Alegaesia. As Eragon gets more and more well known he draws a lot of attention to himself, and after killing the shade Durza he is now considered a massive threat against the empire. Knowing this the king sends off a troop to kill or capture Eragon's only family, Roran, for leverage. Also, the King needs to keep control in the time of unrest as more and more towns feel the need to rebel against the empire. So, a group of Ra'zac and soldiers are sent to Carvahall and are a big annoyance. They steal food and supplies and eventually they get drunk one day and light a barn on fire. The town starts to burn and Roran and the other town-folk have to save many victims. Afterward, Roran convinces the town that they must kick the soldiers and Ra'zac out of the town. This is the very beginning of Roran's character change.
The specific moment that kicks the whole change off is the moment he picks up a hammer found in a random shop to fight off the soldiers and Ra'zac. Without even thinking he starts to fight and defend the town. He kills several soldiers with mighty blows to the head and even throws his hammer and almost kills a fast-moving Ra'zac. After the battle, he is completely broken and questioning his sanity. However, he knows he has to be strong for the town and keep fighting. Then, as evidence of his change, he finally asks his girlfriend, Katrina to marry him which she accepts, even though he has nothing. He later goes on to lead the town across Alagaesia to join Eragon and fight the Empire.
His character arc and change have a symbolic connection to the hammer he uses and it has a connection to the town as well. As the story proceeds he gets more and more skilled using the hammer and dealing with the trauma of battle and murdering strangers. His weapon is very similar to Thor's hammer which only one who is worthy can lift. Roran after he finds the hammer becomes more and more of a leader, or worthy, in a sense. Also, a hammer is not a normal weapon to use as a soldier as all of his opponents carry some type of sword. It represents how he and his town were not ever meant or expected to become rebels and fighters with the purpose of taking down an empire. They were built for making things in their own little town.
Roran's character arc is very linear and progresses with each life-changing battle and decision. He never gives up fighting with his hammer and even becomes the leader of his town's fighters who even fight alongside him when confronting the King's massive army in later installations to the series. This character development is one of the most satisfying aspects of the story making it a must-read.
I like how your post hones in on point of the book instead of being a generic review. Having read Eldest, I agree that Roran's character arc and personality is directly symbolic to his stronghammer, a big weapon that does not require precision but gets the job done. I also liked the analogy you made with Thor's hammer. You incorporated a lot of different examples of symbolism in your post, which was nice. Good job.
ReplyDeleteI like how your blog post focused on Roran's character arc. I thought it was especially interesting how you pointed out Roran's hammer, and related it to Thor's hammer. Having read Eldest myself, Roran's weapon's symbolism is certainly there, though I never really realized it before reading this. There was a lot going on in Eldest, and Roran's character development was a part of it distinctive from the other novels in the series. I think you did a great job summarizing and analyzing this character arc. Nice review!
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