Ahira's Hangar

I hope you don't mind me dragging up some of these dissections, but I just wanted to add my appreciation of this one. Fantastic job, Menolly! Your analysis has greatly enhanced my understanding of some of the more philosophical parts of this chapter.

Drag up all the old threads you want.

--A

Indeed. There are some gems here that deserve recognition.

Over a year later, I drag this thread up again, to do nothing much more than echo what others have said: Menolly, you nailed it. In reading this chapter tonight, I was profoundly moved by the exchange between Ged and Yarrow. I believe it is, in fact, now my favourite part of A Wizard Of Earthsea (closely followed by the chapter with the dragons which is the height of coolness). Your dissection did justice and homage (the same thing, in this case) which made my heart sing all over again.

The only thing I have to add is this on the importance of silence. In certain sects of Buddhism there is a trance state called the Noble Silence. The concept behind the Noble Silence is that words, speech, communications are finite things, and like all finite things have beginnings and endings. Knowing the infinite, the Enlightened being is silent, for only in silence can something without beginning or end be expressed.