51 pages • 1 hour read
Robert JordanThe Eye of the World
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1990A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Themes
Duality and Gender Relations
The Wheel of Time series features constant tension between men and women, shaping most interactions in the book. The binary gender and sex identities are connected to the duality shaping the series’ universe. The world is set up as a binary opposition between male and female or saidin and saidar, similar to Taoist yin-yang symbology. Neither group is shown to be dominant, despite their respective claims to the contrary.
At the time of writing and publication, The Eye of the World can be read as subverting traditional gender roles as defined by most Western and East Asian cultures. Men and women have their own structures of power, such as the Women’s Circle and the Village Council in Emond’s Field. Moreover, some rulers are women, such as Andor’s queen. There are also mentions of female warriors among the Aiel. Finally, the Aes Sedai, the most powerful political entity at the story’s start, are all women.
However, despite the fact that women in the book are empowered, gender itself remains defined traditionally. Regardless of their character traits or positions, men are described as masculine and women as feminine. In The Eye of the World, only one woman, Min, prefers to wear pants. Furthermore, there is no space for non-binary identities. Despite her choice of clothing, Min still identifies as a woman. There is also no mention of non-heteronormative sexuality. There is one hint at polyamory in Min’s visions, but it follows the rather traditional formula of one man connected to several women.
Heroism and Leadership
Heroism and good leadership are central to the book. The story debunks the stereotype of the hero as a valiant young man unafraid of anything. All the people from Emond’s Field become heroes in their own right. They are shown as flawed but fundamentally decent people willing to do the right thing. Nynaeve, for example, has a very short temper that can cloud her judgment and make her abrasive. Mat is thoughtless and sometimes greedy. Perrin can be violent. Egwene is prone to belittling others. Finally, Rand is a homebody who dislikes adventure and is not particularly ambitious. However, when faced with danger and difficult choices, each individual does the right thing despite their fears or prejudices. By the end of the story, the Emond Fielders understand that there are greater forces at play; each consciously choose to fight against the Dark One rather than lead a safe and relatively easy life in the Two Rivers.
Combined with Lan’s tutelage, Rand’s upbringing guide his views on leadership. He sees leadership as accepting responsibility for others and doing the right thing despite the cost, while not expecting anything in return. Lan and Moiraine are both examples of good leaders. When faced with difficult choices, they take responsibility for their choices. Lan gives up his love for Nynaeve to protect her. Moiraine makes personal sacrifices and sacrifices others, even when she dislikes doing so. Rand internalizes these examples; at the end he decides to shoulder the burden of being a male channeler on his own, without endangering others.
Destiny and Free Choice
Heroism and leadership are closely tied to the idea of destiny, or prophesy. These touch on the symbol of a Wheel of Time, endlessly weaving people’s lives together. In the book’s universe, time is cyclical; people are continuously reborn, reliving countless iterations of their lives. When he was Lews Therin, Rand was also a hero. He will always be destined for heroism in each incarnation. Similarly, the initial Dragon went mad and killed his loved ones, so it is likely that the Emond Fielder will do the same. The cyclicity of the Wheel implies that certain events eventually come to mirror earlier situations. Within this closed system, there does not seem to be much room for choice or free will. If there is no afterlife, as in the Judeo-Christian or Buddhist traditions, and people are doomed to be reborn, what does it matter how a person spends their life?
The Dark One is crucial to the book’s universe. According to the series’ cosmology, the Creator imprisoned the Dark One in the Blight. People in the Age of Legends made a hole in his prison, allowing him to poison the True Source. Lews Therin was able to close and seal the breach at a great personal cost. Ever since, the Dark One has been able to influence the Wheel’s threads through his servants and creatures. In this way, people are faced with a choice: if they follow the Dark One, their souls become his.
Thus, most members of the group have a choice. The villagers, especially, can head back to Emond’s Field and wait out the Last Battle. However, Rand cannot. He feels forced into the role of a hero against his wishes. He does not have the choice of hiding, as the Dark One can find him in dreams. Even suicide is not an option as Shai’tan or the Dark One’s influence extends to souls. This raises the question of whether Rand can be defined as a hero if he is simply doing what is necessary for his own survival. Regardless, the knowledge of his own destiny makes the young man’s responsibilities even more difficult. He is virtually trapped, forced to accept his sacrifice as inevitable.
