Re-Reading "The Eye of the World": "Chapter 9: Tellings of the Wheel," "Chapter 10: Leavetaking," "Chapter 11: The Road to Taren Ferry," and "Chapter 12: Across the Taren"
In this week's cluster of chapters, the company finally starts moving forward into an uncertain and dangerous future.
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Hello, faithful readers! I know it’s been a minute since I did one of my readings of The Eye of the World but, fear not, I am on it! Today I want to talk about Chapters 9-12, “Tellings of the Wheel,” “Leavetaking,” “The Road to Taren Ferry,” and “Across the Taren.” Taken together, these chapters mark a clear transitional moment for Rand and the other Emond’s Fielders. Having seen the extent to which their presence in the town will only lead to more death and destruction, Rand, Mat, Perrin, and Egwene decide to finally say goodbye to their homes and begin the journey that will change their lives, and the world.
Before they do so, of course, there is the powerful moment in which Moiraine, confronted by an unruly and disgruntled group of townspeople, begins to relate to them the story of their own past, one that has already been buried so deeply in the pits of memory that no one remembers it. She’s almost as good at telling a story as Thom and we, along with those gathered nearby, can’t help but be entranced as she relates the story of Manetheren, its doomed stand against the armies of the Dark One, and its eventual defeat and destruction. It’s high fantasy storytelling of the highest caliber and, if I’m being honest, one of the best parts of these early portions of The Eye of the World.
A number of things are worth noting about this sequence. First, there is the deep history of the Two Rivers. Just as Tolkien did, Jordan gives us a world with its own rich and textured internal history and, just as the hobbits reflect the Shire (even as they also shape it to their own needs), so does the old blood of Manetheren still sing in the blood of its descendants. Though they might seem humble and a little simple to outsiders (including, presumably, the reader), Moiraine’s narration makes us rethink our assumptions about these humble country folk. Like Tolkien’s hobbits, they hide a remarkable reservoir of strength beneath their plain clothes and blunt speech.
At the same time, this entire sequence reveals the extent to which history has the power to grind the memory of even a great nation like Manetheren into the dust, so that by the time of the events of the novel even those who dwell among its ruins don’t remember anything about it. This is, of course, one of the enduring motifs of the entire Wheel of Time, in which everything is understood to be impermanent, subject to the relentless turnings and grindings of the Wheel. If even a great and majestic nation like Manetheren can be forgotten, then what hope is there for anyone else?
Moiraine, of course, knows the power of words, and she ultimately emerges from the confrontation with the townspeople intact. Nevertheless, the entire encounter makes clear to us the extent to which the Aes Sedai are held in suspicion by everyone, and it is remarkably easy for even those who have been the recipient of her kindness to turn against her. One would hardly have blamed her had she decided to just leave them to her fate. Rand, of course, has also suspected her of having her own sinister designs but, since Moiriane is the most interesting character in these early chapters, I’ve always found myself identifying with her more than Rand or the other characters and thus feeling exasperated on her behalf.
The emotional core of these chapters, of course, is the departure itself. This is the moment that Rand has been dreading, but ultimately it cannot be avoided. Like so many other young heroes, he now has to say goodbye to everything that he has ever known and begin a journey whose end he cannot clearly see. Indeed, it’s important to remember in these chapters just how closed-off Rand has been throughout his life. Going as far as Taren Ferry would have been a big enough deal in the days before Moiraine’s arrival; to go beyond it is like moving into an entirely different world. Once again, the comparisons to The Fellowship of the Ring are inevitable, and it’s hard not to think of Sam’s reaction to crossing the Brandywine and becoming aware that he was unequivocally leaving the Shire behind.
Once again, though, it’s Moiraine who continues to exert a powerful hold on these chapters, and it’s hard not to be a little frightened at the ease with which she sinks the ferry, no matter how doing so might damage the livelihood of the master (though, to be fair, he doesn’t seem like a particularly honest person, so perhaps it’s just as well). This scene might not be quite as brutal as the one in the Amazon adaptation–in which Moiraine ends up sending the ferrymaster himself to the bottom of the river–but it’s still an indication of how seriously she takes their quest. She is the type of person who will let nothing and no one stand in the way of her mission to protect the Dragon Reborn and make sure that he survives to fulfill his destiny, and this makes her both very terrifying and very compelling.
And, of course, there is the ever-present threat of the Dark One’s minions, who are never far out of sight. In these early parts of The Eye of the World, Jordan repeatedly shows his skill at capturing a feeling of ever-growing menace. By this point the young people have already seen what the Trollocs are capable of, and this gives their flight a potent immediacy. We know on some level that they’re going to get away, but we’re terrified for them anyway.
Overall, this cluster of chapters makes for enjoyable reading. They serve an important function, finally moving out characters forward in time so that they can really begin their adventure. Like the characters, we find ourselves caught at this liminal stage, not yet certain what the future holds, both terrified of the possibilities and yearning to see them fulfilled.
And last but not least, let’s all just take a minute to praise Bela. If ever there was a worthy successor to Bill of The Lord of the Rings, it would be her.
Until next time!