Red Brick Commentary

[mara_dienne459]

That reveal last chapter? Doesn't mean anything now. We're back with the second plot line! Yay. 


Chapter Twenty-Nine: Conviction

 

This chapter opens with Roran glaring at Horst. Yeah, we’re back with Roran. And he’s being a jerk.

 

They were in Baldor’s room. Roran was propped upright in bed, listening as the smith said, “What did you expect me to do? We couldn’t attack once you fainted. Besides, the men were in no state to fight. Can’t blame them either. I nearly bit off my tongue when I saw those monsters.” Horst shook his wild mane of hair. “We’ve been dragged into one of the old tales, Roran, and I don’t like it one bit.” Roran retained his stony expression. “Look, you can kill the soldiers if you want, but you have to get your strength back first. You’ll have plenty of volunteers; people trust you in battle, especially after you defeated the soldiers here last night.” When Roran remained silent, Horst sighed, patted him on his good shoulder, and left the room, closing the door behind him. 

 

So he’s having a temper tantrum because everyone decided their own survival was greater than the life of his girlfriend. Seems legit to me! But more seriously, I understand why the villagers chose themselves over Katrina. There’s no way they could’ve have survived fighting the Ra’zac. They would have died, Roran likely would’ve been captured, and the Ra’zac would’ve feasted on their bones. Also, when did people start to trust Roran in battle? He didn’t save anybody. He didn’t stop anybody from being killed. He murdered the soldiers before anyone else had a chance to really fight them, and then led the men into a nightmare that he fainted from and everyone else hid from. Get over yourself, Roran. But I also understand why he’s upset. The love of his life was kidnapped, and the bad guys are gonna do whatever they want to with her. And nobody even tried to stop them. But seriously - we’ve been shown what monsters the Ra’zac are. Nobody in their right mind would go up against a nightmare without a sure fire way to kill it. Most people won’t get over their fear to be brave enough to risk it all on what is ostensibly a suicide mission, even to save one of their own. It takes a certain kind of person to put another’s safety over their own, no matter the cost, especially when it’s against a fantastical monster. And I’m sorry, but the villagers don’t really strike me as that kind of person. I don’t doubt that they fight to defend their home against attack - they did, after all, killing the soldiers - but they were on even ground. With the Ra’zac... nobody is on even ground with them. 

 

Roran completely ignores what Horst is saying and tells us that he only cared for three things in his entire life: his family, his home, and Katrina. Yeah, she’s in the third slot. We’re reminded that his family was annihilated (so Eragon’s just chopped liver at this point?), his farm was destroyed, but hey, the land’s still there and that’s what counts. Oh but wait, Katrina is gone, and that means Roran’s life is over. He starts crying while he very coherently narrates to us about how the only way to rescue Katrina is to abandon the village but he can’t do that. He can’t just forget about his lady love, either, though. But, you know, in classic emo fashion, Roran can’t live without either his lady love or his home, and so everything is useless.

 

Roran clenched his teeth as a fresh burst of pain emanated from his bound shoulder. He closed his eyes. I hope Sloan gets eaten like Quimby. No fate could be too terrible for that traitor. Roran cursed him with the blackest oaths he knew. 

 

Well, take some of the blame yourself, asshole. If Roran hadn’t done what he did - that is, not tell Sloan about him and Katrina, not publicly embarrass him, nor force Katrina to choose between her husband or her father - things might’ve turned out differently. Or maybe they wouldn’t, but then Roran would have a legit reason for cursing Sloan for doing what he did. He doesn’t even think about his own actions in this play they’re putting on. All the blame lands squarely in Sloan’s lap, like Roran has no hand in the events leading up to this point. Which isn’t true at all.

 

Roran continues to cry and coherently think in full sentences about how to find the Ra’zac if he could even leave Carvahall, and he starts wallowing in self-pity and despair for the longest time. Pretty much three more paragraphs where he thinks all is hopeless and there’s nothing he can do and all he wants is his main squeeze back. Eventually, though, he calms down enough and says he has to think. Hasn’t he been doing that since this chapter started? Oh, but now, he’s serious. He decides there has to be some kind of solution he can think of, but only if he’s creative enough. Pretty sure what he decides to do is not creative in the least bit.

 

He could not track the Ra’zac through the air. That much was clear. Someone would have to tell him where to find them, and of all the people he could ask, the Varden probably knew the most. However, they would be just as hard to find as the desecrators, and he could not waste time searching for them. Although... A small voice in his head reminded him of the rumors he had heard from trappers and traders that Surda secretly supported the Varden. 

 

Well, if everybody knows about it, it’s not a secret anymore, is it? Like this is what I don’t understand about everything that’s a “secret”. Somebody always knows about it. Surda is secretly supporting the Varden, but everybody knows about it, so it isn’t a secret, is it? The only reason Galby doesn’t attack Surda is because he’s unaware of their support of the Varden, but that’s thrown out the window when he moves his army in secret to attack them. But in all the years before, he’s left them alone. It doesn’t make sense that such common knowledge would be touted by those who shouldn’t know the information, and then everyone else says the Big Bad doesn’t know anything and that’s how they’ve escaped detection for so long. It doesn’t make sense.

 

Surda. The country lay at the bottom of the Empire, or so Roran had been told, as he had never seen a map of Alagaësia. Under ideal conditions, it would take several weeks to reach on horse, longer if he had to evade soldiers. Of course, the swiftest mode of transportation would be to sail south along the coast, but that would mean having to travel all the way to the Toark River and then to Teirm to find a ship. It would take far too long. And he still might be apprehended by soldiers. 

 

I’m glad Roran is so certain of the distance, despite having never seen a map before. Also, Surda isn’t exactly at the bottom of Alagaesia, but sort of catty corner to it. Also, nobody knows what he looks like except the Ra’zac and the soldiers that were left to watch the village until the Ra’zac came back, whenever that would be. So he’d have a pretty easy time traveling, unless he was an idiot and called attention to himself.

 

Of course, this plan seems to be impossible. It’s too far for Roran to go, I guess? It’s not really explained beyond “I could be captured better not risk it”. Anyway, we’re told that the only other port that exists in Roran’s memory bank is this place called Narda. In order to get there, he’d have to cross the mountains, which apparently is impossible, even for the mystery trappers. Roran swears and decides thinking is useless because he needs to be trying to save Carvahall, not abandon it. Except he’s being the biggest Debbie Downer ever because he’s already decided the village and its inhabitants are doomed. All Roran has left to do is sing the Doom Song. But no, he starts to cry again, until he thinks up a what if. And that what if is “what if everyone abandons the village?” His “what if” is completely selfish, because all he cares about is getting what he wants. He’s actually stunned by his own idea.

 

It was heresy, blasphemy, to think that he could convince the farmers to abandon their fields and the merchants their shops... and yet... and yet what was the alternative but slavery or death? The Varden were the only group that would harbor fugitives of the Empire, and Roran was sure that the rebels would be delighted to have a village’s worth of recruits, especially ones who had proved themselves in battle. Also, by bringing the villagers to them, he would earn the Varden’s confidence, so that they would trust him with the location of the Ra’zac. Maybe they can explain why Galbatorix is so desperate to capture me. 

 

Wait... so by bringing the villagers to the Varden, Roran thinks he can immediately earn the Varden’s trust so they’ll tell him the location of the Ra’zac’s lair? In what world would that work? Seriously! In what world would bringing a bunch of strangers to a rebel organization merit immediate trust? All he’s really doing is bringing a bunch more mouths to feed, no supplies, and maybe a couple dozen capable fighters. As far as we know, only a few people actually take part in any battle, and I could probably not run out of fingers counting them. This doesn’t make any sense, except I guess, in Paolini’s own mind. 

 

He talks about what the plan would need to succeed, which is pretty much getting the hell out before more soldiers show up. He suggests that leaves them only a few days to arrange the departure of 300+ people. Which is insanity. Roran also tells us that mere reason can’t persuade anyone to leave, and decides he’s going to need some “messianic zeal” (actual words in the text) to stir up people and get them to follow him like the Israelites followed Moses out of Egypt. At least the villagers’ journey isn’t as long as Moses’s was. Anyway, Roran decides he’s going to basically become a dictator and somehow take Public Speaking 101 with a dash of Instant Charisma all within a couple of paragraphs.

 

In his mind, Roran saw Katrina standing before him, pale and ghostly with solemn amber eyes. He remembered the heat of her skin, the mulled scent of her hair, and what it felt like to be with her under the cover of darkness. Then in a long line behind her appeared his family, friends, and everyone he had known in Carvahall, both dead and alive. If not for Eragon... and me... the Ra’zac would have never come here. I must rescue the village from the Empire as surely as I must rescue Katrina from those desecrators. 

 

First of all, Roran has all the time in the world, because these soldiers never come. So there’s no need to rush around like he makes them do. Also, Roran doesn’t do anything of the sort as to what he talked about. The speech he gives paints a rather doom and gloom picture of what will happen if the villagers stay. He more or less forces them to follow him, and everybody does so because reasons, except for like two people. Everyone else leaves because he tells them to get their shit together and let’s go. Although I like that he’s finally admitting that he’s somewhat to blame for all this, but neither he nor Eragon are held accountable. Rather, it’s kind of all swept under the rug because more they’re “heroes”. Also, if “what it felt like to be with her under the cover of darkness” isn’t a euphemism for sex, I don’t know what is. 

 

So Roran rolls out of bed with his Instant Charisma and Public Speaking degree tucked in his back pocket and starts thumping around like a zombie, all the while thinking the random thought about regaining the use of his right arm. Remember, the Ra’zac bit it and tore it to shreds, and he lost a lot of blood between then and now, and probably should be convalescing if not dead. His arm should also be gangrenous, if not completely amputated, but hey, Paolini doesn’t like having his precious main characters maimed, scarred, or otherwise “ugly”, so nothing of the sort happens to Roran. So he leaves the room, startles Elain, and just keeps repeating “Come” to anyone who tries to interrupt or stop him. He leads the ever-growing group to the edge of the village, just repeating himself the entire time to anyone who happens to be nearby, until he gets to where he wants to be. Then he stabs a torch into the ground and screams out, and somehow this gets everyone in the village to come out to see what the hell is going on. Somehow Roran also has a magically enhanced voice because we’re told it “echoed down the valley”, although this could just be an exaggeration.

 

When most of Carvahall stood before him, Roran fell silent, tightening his left fist until his fingernails cut into his palm. Katrina. Raising his hand, he opened it and showed everyone the crimson tears that dripped down his arm. “This,” he said, “is my pain. Look well, for it will be yours unless we defeat the curse wanton fate has set upon us. Your friends and family will be bound in chains, destined for slavery in foreign lands, or slain before your eyes, hewn open by soldiers’ merciless blades. Galbatorix will sow our land with salt so that it lies forever fallow. This I have seen. This I know.” He paced like a caged wolf, glowering and swinging his head. He had their attention. Now he had to stoke them into a frenzy to match his own. 

 

So, that thing about nails cutting into palms and making you bleed? That’s movie magic, unless you have like knives for fingernails. I’ve tried to actually recreate this at several points in my life, and all that happens is crescent marks. Pressure marks. You can’t generate enough pressure to actually have your nails cut into your skin like what’s happening here. You’d have to have ether very thin skin on your palms, or your nails would have to be as sharp as a blade. Also, here begins Roran’s speech of fire and brimstone. This is like fear-mongering to get the villagers to do as he wants them to do. He doesn’t give them a choice. Right off the bat, he’s coming at them with no alternative. This speech isn’t an if/then; it’s a “this is going to happen and you can’t stop it” speech. There is no alternative he’s giving them. He isn’t even letting them decide on their own. They can stay or face sure death, or they can leave and maybe survive, but oh yeah, you’ll have to fight for the Varden. Because Roran says that, too.

 

Roran continues on with his story, and some of what he says is truth, some of what he says is conjecture, and some of what he says is nothing more than fire and brimstone fear-mongering, as well as pot-stirring demagogue dialogue, in order to get the villagers to follow him without question and get them to do as he wants, without listening to their opinions or wants or needs. To top it all off, Roran laughs like a maniac, which just proves he’s crazy and nobody should be listening to him. But they all do, because Roran rolled a +20 on charisma even without a saving throw.

 

“I know now the true nature of the Empire and of Galbatorix; they are evil. Galbatorix is an unnatural blight on the world. He destroyed the Riders and the greatest peace and prosperity we ever had. His servants are foul demons birthed in some ancient pit. But is Galbatorix content to grind us beneath his heel? No! He seeks to poison all of Alagaësia, to suffocate us with his cloak of misery. Our children and their descendants shall live in the shadow of his darkness until the end of time, reduced to slaves, worms, vermin for him to torture at his pleasure. Unless...” 

 

I’m reminded of those fire and brimstone religious speeches that were usually given before a crusade, reminding people why Islamic people were heathens and needed to die if they wouldn’t repent and convert and vice versa. I’m also reminded of the speeches given as the settlers burned “witches” and the McCarthy-era when we were fighting the Cold War against the Russians. Roran doesn’t know any of this for certain. He’s supposing. He’s saying random incensing words to get people to listen to him, like a demagogue. He wants people to follow him, so he’s frightening them. And I get why he’s angry. He’s got every right to be angry. But this borders on psychosis, and none of it is true. He’s making it up, because he doesn’t know that Galby is evil; he’s saying so because it’s easier for him. He doesn’t know whether Galby condoned this; he’s saying so because it’ll achieve his goal. He doesn’t really give a shit about the villagers; he just wants Katrina back, and they’re a means to his end. Remember, he said if he brought the villagers to the Varden, the Varden would reward him with the knowledge of the Ra’zac’s lair. So he could care less about them. They’re bargaining chips to him, and that’s all. 

 

Eventually Roran starts appealing to their pride, trying to use the carrot instead of the stick, I guess, and he tells them that he’s leaving Carvahall. He tells them what he’s going to do, and then mentions something about bards singing their praises and names, and singing this “Epic of Carvahall”. And I’m laughing because nobody gives a shit about this village that half the country doesn’t even knows exists, and I’m laughing because this never becomes a thing. Literally the villagers disappear once they reach the Varden. We never know what happens to those who stay behind in Dauth, or wherever Roran makes landfall before heading on to the Varden. We never know what really happens to those who follow Roran to the Varden, aside from token mentions. I think one more person dies, but we don’t care because he’s only a mook anyway. I think we just get told that everyone is ready to head back to Carvahall and start rebuilding somewhere at the end of Inheritance, but it feels like an afterthought. Anyway... back with this demagogue, Roran starts to cry again, but this time they’re “tears of pride”.

 

Tears of pride flooded Roran’s eyes. “What could be more noble than cleansing Galbatorix’s stain from Alagaësia? No more would we live in fear of having our farms destroyed, or being killed and eaten. The grain we harvest would be ours to keep, save for any extra that we might send as a gift to the rightful king. The rivers and streams would run thick with gold. We would be safe and happy and fat! 

 

Well, none of that’s true, is it? What, does he think that just because he deposes Galby and puts a new king on the throne that the taxes are just gonna go away? This is nothing more than a political rhetoric. None of this means anything. He can’t guarantee any of it. He’s filling their minds with empty promises and bullshit. He’s saying bards are going to sing songs about them, which isn’t true. None of these people are important enough to have songs sung about them. Not even Roran. This is an illusion of grandeur, an illusion of a dream that he’s spinning for them. Nothing will be as easy as he’s saying. This is all bullshit designed to get them to come with him. He’s not giving them a choice. He’s not making it their decision. He’s deciding for them. 

 

He ends his speech with “this is our destiny” like he’s some prophet, and then backs off and contemplates on himself for a while, waiting for a response to his speech. None comes, for whatever reason. Then he realizes that they want him to continue (how self-centered is that?) and decides that the villagers want to hear more about this cause and the future he’s talking about. See? Sheep. They’ve become sheep because it’s easier to handle 300+ characters nobody cares about that way. Anyway, Roran starts talking and specifically mentions that he speaks with “rage and honeyed tones in equal amount” but always with just enough conviction that keeps his audience hanging on his every word. If this isn’t a politician, I don’t know what is. Maybe Roran would’ve survived being king of Alagaesia.

 

When his store of images was exhausted, Roran looked into the faces of his friends and neighbors and said, “I march in two days. Accompany me if you wish, but I go regardless.” He bowed his head and stepped out of the light. 

 

All of this bothers me. Not only is Roran telling grown adults what to do, what they should do, he’s also telling them equal amounts of fear and gilt that is supposed to convince them that his way is the only way. There’s no middle ground, no other option. It’s Roran’s way or death. The fact that everyone stays quiet and listens to him is bothersome, because we’ve spent the past couple of chapters watching these villagers argue with each other, get angry with each other, or get drunk and hope that solves all their problems. Not a single adult has brought forth an idea of how to save themselves, except for Horst’s idea of killing everyone and letting the bards sort it out. Why Roran is the one with the great idea to leave, I don’t know, other than to attempt to paint him as some selfless hero. The problem is, his motivation is entirely selfish. He wants to go save Katrina, but that would mean abandoning the village, his home. He doesn’t want to do that. He also doesn’t want to abandon Katrina. So he decides the best option is to force everyone to leave with him, and to do that, he paints these pictures of heaven and hell and puts the fear of god into the villagers so they defer to him as leader and give him power he doesn’t deserve. The last line in this speech - “accompany if you wish” - is the only line in his whole monologue I actually agree with. That’s the option he should’ve given them before he started spitting vitriol and telling them that if they don’t leave with him, death is all they’ll get.

 

For a long time, nothing happens, and then finally Birgit comes forward and after saying it’s hard to speak after Roran because I don’t know why, she says she’s leaving, too. She’s taking her entire brood with her. Then some more people step forward and say they’re leaving, too. After that, there’s just whispering amongst each other and nobody else ventures forth to throw their hat in with Roran’s camp. Roran tells us he understands, because he’s still trying to figure out the implications of his speech and intentions himself. Mm... maybe you should’ve figured those out before you made your speech, Roran. This isn’t really a situation where “flying by the seat of one’s pants” should be applicable.

 

Finally, Horst strode to the torch and stared with a drawn face into the flame. “It’s no good talking any more.... We need time to think. Every man must decide for himself. Tomorrow... tomorrow will be another day. Perhaps things will be clearer then.” He shook his head and lifted the torch, then inverted it and extinguished it against the ground, leaving everyone to find their way home in the moonlight. 

 

Why “every man”? Why not “everyone”? I mean, the base answer is that the women don’t get a choice. The wife must follow her husband, the daughter her father. Women are no more than property here. I mean, the women who don’t have men now don’t because their husbands were killed and are agreeing to leave not for revenge, as Birgit and Lenna have said is the reason they’re going, but to keep their children safe. Children who could just as easily die in the travel as in the village should they choose to stay. So clearly, the only choice they can make is the sure death of staying in the village or the possible death by leaving the village. There’s no middle ground. There’s no hiding in the forest or trying to reach another place to be safe. There isn’t even talk of going to another town or city and starting over. It’s the Varden or nothing. 

 

Roran joined Albriech and Baldor, who walked behind their parents at a discreet distance, giving them privacy to talk. Neither of the brothers would look at Roran. Unsettled by their lack of expression, Roran asked, “Do you think anyone else will go? Was I good enough?” 

 

What a conceited bastard. “Was I good enough?” Like he even needs to ask! His little speech didn’t give the villagers much of a choice of they want to survive. It doesn’t matter if he was “good enough” anyway; there’s no choice for anyone else now. One third of the village has decided they’re going to leave to protect their children, ostensibly. Another third said they’re leaving to get revenge. And the rest of them have FOMO I guess? Because everyone leaves, save for two guys whom you never hear about for the rest of the story and you never find out their fates at the end of the series. It’s a loose end that was never tied up. This question he asks should never be asked, because to me it sounds like he’s trying to figure out if he won whatever this little “game” was. Like he gets points based on how many people “choose” to leave with him. Roran didn’t give these people a choice; he made a demand, and they follow along like blind sheep, despite whatever words may have come out of their mouths.

 

Albriech thinks Roran’s funny, and Baldor says Roran could’ve convinced an Urgal to become a farmer. Yeah, I don’t think so. The Urgal would probably look at Roran and decide it would be fun to make Roran’s head all squishy. Anyway, Roran’s response to Baldor is:

 

“No!” 

 

Although Roran is saying this with shock (not that anyone can tell) I have to agree with him. It would take much more than a fancy speech to convince Urgals to become farmers and give up everything that’s culturally important to them. Although, I’m fairly certain Baldor is saying his line with something akin to ignorance, since these people have never met an Urgal and have never seen first hand what they do.

 

“When you finished, I was ready to grab my spear and dash into the Spine after you. I wouldn’t have been alone either. The question isn’t who will leave, it’s who won’t. What you said... I’ve never heard anything like it before.” 

 

Honestly? Roran’s little speech doesn’t do anything for me. It doesn’t move me. It doesn’t give me the fire it seems to have given Baldor. It makes me terrified. It doesn’t inspire anything but fear. Fear of death if I stay, fear of death if I go. There’s no safety in either option. There’s no certainty. Of course, Paolini wants us to cheer for the good guys, no matter what kind of methods they use. So of course Roran inspires greatness in people, just because. He hasn’t proven anything to them, but they treat him like a messiah and follow his every word. His every order. It’s all bullshit so he can get his way and no one questions him.

 

Roran frowned. His goal had been to persuade people to accept his plan, not to get them to follow him personally. If that’s what it takes, he thought with a shrug. Still, the prospect had caught him unawares. At an earlier time, it would have disturbed him, but now he was just thankful for anything that could help him to rescue Katrina and save the villagers. 

 

See? All he wants is to rescue Katrina and he could care less how that goal is achieved so long as it is achieved. And honestly, what did he think would happen when he started this fire and brimstone speech? When you start a speech talking about how your ruler will kill you and put the rest of you in chains, and then destroy your entire world and livelihood, people are going to follow you and look to you as leader because you obviously have some kind of plan. You have some kind of way of keeping everyone alive and making sure they stay safe. Roran doesn’t have that kind of plan. He’s flying by the seat of his pants and hoping everything turns out okay. His speech wasn’t a persuasive one; it was a “do it my way or die” speech. He didn’t persuade anyone of anything, except fear.  

 

Baldor then looks at his brother and says that their dad would lose most of his tools. Al agrees with that. Roran then gives us this little gem:

 

Roran knew that smiths made whatever implement was required by the task at hand, and that these custom tools formed a legacy that was bequeathed from father to son, or from master to journeyman. One measure of a smith’s wealth and skill was the number of tools he owned. For Horst to surrender his would be... Would be no harder than what anyone else has to do, thought Roran. He only regretted that it would entail depriving Albriech and Baldor of their rightful inheritance. 

 

Roran regrets that it would be depriving Albriech and Baldor off their inheritance? He doesn’t regret anything else? All the lives lost? The homes destroyed? All the other people’s lost shit? I mean, he didn’t think about any of this before or while he made his speech. All he cares about is what he wants. He doesn’t really care about anyone else or what they’ll have to give up or destroy. So long as it benefits him, he doesn’t even give the remotest of shits. Even this expression of regret doesn’t convince me that Roran’s genuine about it. It sounds to me like he’s just accepting it as a consequence and he’s sorry about that, but it’s not as important as him getting Katrina back. Roran is a selfish dick. 

 

When they reached the house, Roran retreated to Baldor’s room and lay in bed. Through the walls, he could still hear the faint sound of Horst and Elain talking. He fell asleep imagining similar discussions taking place throughout Carvahall, deciding his—and their—fate. 

 

Deciding his fate? Roran’s already decided his fate! He told the villagers he was leaving in two days, with or without them! That’s what he’s going to do! Whether they go with him or stay is up to them. What, is he going to stay if the villagers say they’re staying? Is he going to feel guilty and forget Katrina in order to defend his home? Not fucking likely! The only reason for him to stay would be if the village decided to abandon himand he decided to terrorize them into changing their minds. This just brings Roran’s level to selfish asshole to a new tier.