Re-Reading "The Eye of the World": "Chapter 15: Strangers and Friends," "Chapter 16: The Wisdom" and "Chapter 17: Watchers and Hunters"
Rand and the rest of the company find a brief respite in Baerlon, but it's not long before they have to flee new and old enemies, facing thorny moral questions in the process.
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When last I wrote about the adventures of Rand and company, they had reached the city of Baerlon, and our red-haired hero had encountered a sinister figure in his dreams. In Chapters 15-17, Nynaeve makes a welcome appearance, having tracked Moiraine and the others (much to Lan’s bemusement), even as Rand meets someone knew, the whole group runs afoul of the religious zealots known as the Children of the Light, and they flee into the wilds, pursued by Trollocs and Fades.
One thing that I think goes underappreciated about The Eye of the World is the extent to which it really does plant the seeds of so many of the conflicts–narrative, philosophical, moral–that will come to characterize the series in its later volumes.Of course, one of the most notable of these in these chapters is the introduction of Min and her mysterious powers. From the very moment she appears it’s clear that there’s a spark between her and Rand, and it’s really quite delightful to see the way that she discomfits him with every word she speaks. Moreover, it’s really quite remarkable how much easier their relationship seems to be than the one between Rand and Egwene (romantically speaking, at least).
Of course, Rand isn’t the only one with a bit of a romantic spark, because it’s clear even this early on that there’s something flaring between Lan and Nynaeve, with the former impressed (probably despite himself) at the latter’s tracking ability. Not that Nynaeve is the type of person to ever admit to having such a thing as feelings, particularly for a man working for the woman she seems to despise more than anyone else in the world. Indeed, it’s clear from the moment Nynaeve arrives that she’s going to try to take Egwene and the others back, and it’s always a pleasure to see her lock horns with Moiraine. While Nynaeve is all fire and anger and energy, Moiraine is much more calm and contained. There’s is truly the meeting of powerful forces, and Nynaeve’s resentment of Moiraine–and, by extension, all Aes Sedai–is something that will continue to have consequences throughout the entire saga.
Likewise, we’re given plenty of insight into just how nasty the Children of the Light can be once you get on their bad side, which Rand, Moiraine, and the others seem to do with remarkable ease. I’ve always found the Whitecloaks to be absolutely fascinating, and they are one of those elements of the story that indicate its time of composition. There’s no doubt in my mind that they are Jordan’s not-so-thinly-veiled analogue to groups like the Moral Majority–and the religious right in general–that were newly ascendant and politically influential in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Fortunately, Jordan paints them as more than a little ridiculous and full of overweening pride, which is splendid to read. At the same time, he doesn’t shy away from showing how dangerous they are, and how they will take even the faintest slight as an opportunity to bring the hammer of their “justice” down on anyone they perceive as a threat.
These chapters also contain some pretty heavy emotional stuff, particularly concerning Rand and his continued struggle with the truth about his paternity. HIs conversation with Nynaeve is a particularly resonant one, as she makes sure to reassure him that, regardless of whether or not Tam is his biological father, he is the one who raised him and that’s all that matters. There’s something refreshing about this, and it’s a reminder that beneath all of her bluster and bombast Nynaeve really does care about these young people and wants what’s best for them, even if she doesn’t always grasp the reality of the world in which they now live.
For me, though, the most important interaction comes at the end of Chapter 17, when it’s clear that their allies in Baerlon are bearing the brunt of giving them sanctuary. Moiraine and Lan, of course, recognize that this is the cost of being involved in a war against the Dark One, which is why they make the choice to continue rather than going back to aid those who helped them, much to Nynaeve’s chagrin and consternation. Moiraine, of course, gives one of her usual precisely-ordered and logical explanations, while Lan is more blunt. In essence, however, they both point out the same thing: as long as the Dark One is trying to get his hands on Rand and the others, they must do everything they can to avoid that. Sometimes, some things, and some people, must be sacrificed on the altar of necessity.
Is Moiraine or Nynaeve in the right, here? The brilliance of Jordan’s writing leaves it to the reader to decide. Sure, we’re sutured into Rand’s perspective, but he doesn’t seem quite sure how to work his way through this moral calculus, either. Therein, I think, lies one of the enduring appeals of The Wheel of Time. It repeatedly forces the reader to confront the thorny moral questions that are far too often taken for granted in much epic fantasy fiction. Sometimes one has to do things that are morally questionable in the service of a greater good, and when it seems more likely than not that the Dark One will take over the world if things fall his way, the stakes couldn’t be higher. The fact that Moiraine is so implacable and so coldly distant makes it difficult to swallow this reality but we, like Rand, seem to have no other choice.
Overall, I thought that this cluster of chapters made for a compelling read. Jordan ably gives us a bit of a respite from the initial flight to the Two Rivers, even as he also repeatedly reminds us that danger is still very near, indeed. In fact, as the final chapter draws to its close Rand and the rest are just barely ahead of the Trollocs. Even Moiraine and Lan, it seems, may finally be reaching the end of their rope and with them the rest of the company.