Favorite Character in Elantris

[The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers]

uhm... that's my point. What we do know of it does NOT support your view.

"The conversion of Arelon and Teod was his urgent duty. He had three months to change the religious temperament of an entire culture; it was a monumental task, but it was vital that he succeed. If he did not, Fjorden's armies would destroy every living being..."

That's from the first chapter Hrathon is in, page 42. The first paragraph of the book doesn't talk about Hrathen or Derethi. THe first paragraph Hrathen is in says "He had three months to convert the entire kingdom of Arelon; otherwise Holy Jaddeth ... would destroy it." It doesn't say anything about the conversion being a "challenge" but does imply that he really wants to save it before it's destroyed, indicating care.

The second chapter HRathen is in says

He had made the offer [of conversion to King Iadon] out of duty, knowing that the easiest way to save Arelon would be to convert its ruler, but he hadn't expected Iadon to respond favorably. If only the king knew how much suffering he could forestall with a simple profession of faith.

It was too late now; Iadon had formally rejected Jaddeth. he would have to become an example. However, Hrathen would have to be careful. Memories of the Duladen revolution were still stark in Hrathen's mind -- the death, blood, and chaos. Such a cataclysm had to be avoided. Hrathen was a stern man, and a determined one, but he was no lover of carnage.

OF course, with only three months' time, he might not have a choice. If he was going to succeed, he might have to incite a revolt. More death and more chaos -- horrible things to throw upon a nation that had still hadn't recovered from its last violent revolution. (p 64)

Obviously, the most important objective is conversion. but it's preferable that it be peaceful to HRathen. This passage doesn't speak of challenge, it speaks of him trying the easiest, even if unlikely, path first. It DOES speak of horror and wanting to avoid violence. This is loooong before any doubts in his faith are expressed. While I see Hrathen being quite egotistical (he does, after all, think of himself as a savior and being honored), and the implication that he certainly enjoys a challenge, I don't find anywhere in the text even a hint that he wants to achieve a peaceful conversion BECAUSE it's a more difficult challenge.

[The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers]

let me correct an error I made there. That extended quote is from the THIRD chapter Hrathen appears in. It is the second that features him as the POV character, and thus the second that gives us much insight into his thought process.

[Spriggan]

Now hold on there lets look at your quote: "Memories of the Duladen revolution were still stark in Hrathen's mind -- the death, blood, and chaos. Such a cataclysm had to be avoided. Hrathen was a stern man, and a determined one, but he was no lover of carnage." that shows a personal feeling not a dogmatic one.  The goal of Hrathen and his church is to have every liveing human a believer by any means nessacery and there are only 2 means coversion or death.  Now you're correct, and I was wrong, about when Hrathen was talking about wanting to save lives, but he does mention the challenge of saveing lives raither then killing to Dilef several times.

Maybe we're argueing different things, mine is the religion dosen't make a difference and you seam to argueing wither or not Hrathen cares or not.  But from how EUOL builds Hrathen I could still aruge my point on him only questing his religion in relation to killing since he seams to have been doubting his faith from before he arrived in the Elantris area.

[The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers]

no, my point is that the Seon use hardly proves anything wrong. Hrathen and Dilaf both use plenty of methods that are distasteful at least, unorthodox almost always, and forbidden in many cases, to further their religion. Why is a seon so different than not caring that the people really believe as long as Derethi institutional? It's just the way the religion approaches things.

[Chimera]

I'm bumping this thread, because I've mentioned it twice and I feel like it.   <--me being super cool

But we don't have to talk about the religion of Elantris anymore if we don't want to. (In my opinion, it was done to death, but we've got some new blood with Elantris on the brain, and they may have contributions about characters OR religion.)

[neiana]

um... I'm not sure if being on topic is allowed in these forums... but I'm gonna give it a shot anyways ^_~

My favorite "character" was Elantris, or to be more specific, New Elantris.  In all honesty, I'd have enjoyed it all the same had the plot merely focused on Elantris - of course taking over the other gangs would have had to be more difficult.

I suppose that's sort of cheating though, using the city itself as a character, but isn't it? In a sense, it was a living embodiment of the Dor!  It has the most personality, the biggest lost, and the most to gain by Raodon's research.  Not a single character other than Elantris itself had so much at stake in the novel.

I suppose I'm still cheating.  The people of Elantris, as a single entity, is what I'm really referring to.  I still think I'm allowed to refer to them and the city put together as Elantris, but if not I imagine the author will shortly inform me of my mistake. ^_~

I felt, personally, that the city was the single main character.  I felt that all the other characters were only secondary, the political drama a secondary plot to the single greatest struggle aside from good v. evil.

Nature v. Nurture.

As for religion.  Just because a religion teaches against another, or a group of people, doesn't mean the work of those men are worthless.  Think of the Bible (I imagine many of you do on a regular basis, being BYU folk), it says that all things are under His command, that all things will work together, by His hand, for good.

So just because certain people may consider themselves divine outside of one religious belief, doesn't mean their creations are immediately evil.  After all: "To the pure, all things are pure."

- N

[demented_yam]

My favorite plotline was Raoden's.

say what you will about dynamic characters, but to me, dynamic societies are much more fun to watch.

watching raoden turn the uber-leper colony Elantris from an trisomy of tyrannical dictatorships into one cohesive society was more interesting than watching hrathen do his little soul-searching/ 'find your self' schindig

[Entsuropi]

But raoden himself was too static. :/

[Peter Ahlstrom]

On Karen's and my readthrough of Elantris, we found all three characters to have significant internal struggles. Raoden was always under a ton of pressure, and Sarene's got some severe self-image problems. Both overcome things at least somewhat by the end of the book, so that's character growth.

[Brickwalker]

I myself enjoyed Hrathen, Yes, At first his chapters sort of dragged on when the real excitement was held in the other chapters, However he really began to show during the later chapters, His troubled faith and his inhibition that went with it. Mostly though, I enjoyed the lesser characters, such as Kiin and Saolin, I like those who die with honor (Hrathen included), selflessness if you will, or just show an extreme act of honor, in Kiins case protecting Sarene, as well as those holding a dark and clouded past.


Sarene just felt a little too "refined" in some of the chapters, they were a bit out there.

Raodens were the most interesting, however I couldnt really relate.

[Nessa]

I liked Sarene best, perhaps because I identify with her. Perhaps it's because I'm a tall 'gangly' woman myself, and thought Brandon portrayed that well, as well as her insecurities.

I did like Raoden, but he was too good to be true, romantic-wise. Perhaps this is the disillusioned married-for-almost-ten-years woman in me speaking. But still.

Vanessa (newby here, perhaps you will see more of me)

[CtrlZed]

***Caution--spoilers below!!***

My favorite character in Elantris was Polgara, followed by Garrion.  When the Elantrians finally realize who she is (tall blonde with streak of black hair) I actually had to set the book down because I was weeping so much.

[Tage]

***Caution--spoilers below!!***

My favorite character in Elantris was Polgara, followed by Garrion.  When the Elantrians finally realize who she is (tall blonde with streak of black hair) I actually had to set the book down because I was weeping so much.

Ha, that made me laugh. You will still be soundly beaten for the analogy, though.

[stacer]

I thought it was funny, but I feel I'm missing half the joke.

And as far as Raoden being too good to be true, aren't all the men in fiction? You don't have to be married for ten years to be disillusioned. A coworker who I lent the book to says he finds it "charmingly naive," and I believe he's referring to Raoden and Sarene's relationship. Yet there's something about naive that works for me, because that's the way it should happen (minus the arranged marriage and finding yourself a widow on your wedding day parts)--i.e., it should work for somebody. Plus, I think he finds the whole waiting-for-sex thing naive.

[Nessa]

I think he finds the whole waiting-for-sex thing naive.

Grr. That really grates (I know you didn't say it stacer). Fantasy readers complain Kiin's 'too modern' and then 'waiting-for-sex' too naive? Made up your minds! I mean, if this is supposed to be a less-modern society then 'waiting-for-sex' would have been typical custom, wouldn't it? I know, I know, it happened, but really! It was considered sin by the general public, whereas today's modern sensibilities....

You see where I'm going with this?