Re-Reading "The Eye of the World": "Chapter 24: Flight Down the Arinelle" and "Chapter 25: The Traveling People"
In these two chapters, Rand and Perrin each have to contend with the growing uncertainty in the world around them as well as their own inner demons.
Hello, dear reader! Do you like what you read here at Omnivorous? Do you like reading fun but insightful takes on all things pop culture? Do you like supporting indie writers? If so, then please consider becoming a subscriber and get the newsletter delivered straight to your inbox. There are a number of paid options, but you can also sign up for free! Every little bit helps. Thanks for reading and now, on with the show!
Welcome back, fellow Wheel of Time fans! This week we’re taking a look at two more chapters from Rand and Perrin’s points of view, in which they each try to find their way in a world that grows more perilous and strange with every mile they take. As a result, they have to contend with threats both internal and external.
As they travel down the Arinelle, they see glimpses of the wider world of which Rand is only slowly becoming aware. Jordan skillfully captures the sense of awe–and terror–that a young man who has never been outside of his small village might feel when confronted with the simple vastness of creation, not just in terms of the actual physical space through which he moves but also the history of this world. As Domon points out, even just since the Age of Legends there have been many nations and powers that have arisen, all leaving behind material traces for others to find. In fact, it’s revealed that, beneath his gruff exterior, Domon is really someone who thrives on the sense of adventure for its own sake, an aspect of his personality which will only become more in evidence as the series goes on.
Of course, Rand is still very much the tormented hero, one who feels a great deal of guilt for his excitement at the vista spreading out in front of him. The poor man still insists that he is nothing more than a shepherd’s son and, despite all of the evidence telling him that his old love is gone forever, he still wants to believe that he can one day return to raise sheep with Tam. It’s touching, in its own way, even as it is also a symptom of Rand’s denialist personality. As we will see throughout The Wheel of Time, Rand is very reluctant to accept truths and realities that are staring him right in the face, even when he has grown up a bit more and would be expected to act more like an adult.
Even at this early stage it’s clear that there is something eating at Mat, though it won’t become clear that it’s the dagger for a bit yet. Of the three young men, Mat has always been the one with the strongest strain of darkness running through his character–and the one with the least sense of obligation to the others and their shared quest for survival. The dagger is one of those objects which excels at latching onto the darkness within a person, and though its worst effects won’t be evident for a while yet, they’re already making their mark. As he will throughout the series, Mat immediately shows that he is only concerned with his own best interests, which is why he convinces Rand not to say anything about it. (Furthermore, this is one of those moments where Tolkien’s influence can also be felt in The Eye of the World. While the dagger might not have the world-ending power of the One Ring, its nature is clearly a call-back to Tolkien).
Elsewhere, we rejoin Perrin as he and Egwene as they travel in the company of Elyas. It’s hard not to feel sorry for the former, as he continues to grapple with what it might mean for him to be one of those who can communicate with wolves. As with Rand, here we have a young man who has not only been uprooted from the only place he has ever known but now has to contend with a gift he never asked for and whose ramifications go far beyond the immediate moment. As he will throughout the series, Jordan excels here at capturing a young man’s sense of alienation from both himself and others.
Which brings us to the Tinkers, or the Traveling People or the Tuatha’an. Whichever name you prefer, they are truly an extraordinary group, given the extent to which they have completely eschewed violence of any sort. There’s something both appealing and tragic about these folk, particularly since it’s clear that not all is well within their ranks. While Raen and Ila are quite content to hold to the old ways, the same can certainly not be said for Aram, who already chafes at the old ways. As distressing as this might be for his grandparents, his dissatisfaction is very much part of the zeitgeist of the era. The Dark One is indeed stirring, and there will be none who will be able to emerge from this Age unscathed or unaffected.
Of course, the stakes have already been obvious for quite some time, ever since Moiraine first walked into Emond’s Field with Lan at her side, but this revelation from a dying Aiel gives us an intimation that things might be accelerating at a faster pace than even the Aes Sedai realized. If the Dark One aims to destroy the Eye of the World, and if even the Aiel know this, then the hour has grown even later than anyone has dared to think. It’s clear that this is all very ominous, but because we’re sutured into Perrin’s point of view, this means that we can’t quite put it all together into a coherent whole.Â
Overall, I found myself enjoying these two chapters even more this time around than I have in the past. It displays many of the strengths of Jordan’s, particularly in The Eye of the World. The plot moves at a deliberate pace, sure, but at least there is a sense of forward movement (in Rand’s case this is quite literal, as they are actually moving down a river). Moreover, it gives us a more expansive look at the world and the many people who inhabit it. Most of these are just tantalizing glimpses–such as the long enmity between the Aiel and the Traveling People, for example–but these are more than enough to suggest to us the expansive world that looms just beyond the frame. It’s a world that will only continue to grow more dangerous, and more complicated, with each subsequent chapter.