Fear

[epistler]

Wow, this place has really gone dead lately. Rest assured, though, that the next chapter spork should be posted soon! Promise!

Meanwhile something has occurred to me, which is that at some point during Eldest, Eragon stops ever feeling any sort of (believable, shown on the page) fear. I think the last time it ever happens is when he tells Saphira he's scared because he doesn't know when he's going to have another back scar pain attack and doesn't know what to do about it. 

From pretty much that point onward he acts like a goddamn robot in dangerous situations. He doesn't panic, he doesn't get sweaty palms or a racing heartbeat - but rather more relevantly, his decisions and behaviour don't ever change as a result of feeling fear. He doesn't irrationally lash out or make stupid decisions because he's afraid. He doesn't freeze up or retreat or even say something stupid because he's afraid. In fact the only time Paolini really bothers to give him some token show of fear or trepidation, it's when he has to... give a speech. Not when he has to, oh, face off against the ultimate evil king of evilness (let's pretend) and his dragon who's the size of a goddamn castle. Nope. Cool as a cucumber. He's calm and clear-headed all the way through.

And it's both unsympathetic and fucking ridiculous.

Comments

[rhyson]

I wonder if Eragon being a middle-class, American boy is what helped him sell in the first place? He's not just relatable to the intended audience, he's one of the intended audience. Your average middle-class American doesn't have to worry about dragons swooping in from the sky, but public speaking, ooh, what a nightmare.

[rhyson]

When I say it like that, it seems likely...

[epistler]

You could well be right. He sure as hell doesn't act like someone who had a hard-knock upbringing in a violent fantasy world. He acts like some sheltered privileged brat from the suburbs. Which probably does make it easier for some readers to put themselves in his shoes, tbh. He only really worries about the small, petty shit they worry about.