Mat's Unvoiced Salute to Jain Farstrider

[Winespring Patron]

Meant to post this on Veteran's Day here in the US, sorry for the delay...

 

From Chapter 55, The One Left Behind, Towers of Midnight:

 

He and Thom entered another chamber. Thom was weeping, but Mat held his tears. Noal would die with honor. Once, Mat would have thought that kind of thinking foolish--what good was honor if you were dead? But he had too many memories of soldiers, had spent too much time with men who fought and bled for that honor, to discredit such notions now.

 

To me, this short passage is moving on several different levels. For one, it expresses how much respect Mat has developed for the common soldier. In the EotW Mat more or less shared Thom's opinion that soldiers were fools and that there was no cause worth dying for. His views have evolved since then and he now realizes that there are battles that can't be avoided and that being prepared so that the Band suffered the least casualties was the best thing he could do for his soldiers.

 

I wonder if this particular paragraph was written by RJ himself and was possibly a tribute to comrades he lost during the Vietnam War? Or was it BS making a "shout out" for service personnel fighting in today's "controversial" wars? Either way, I think the point being made is that soldiers endure hardship and danger not for nationalistic causes, or from professional discipline. They are brave and willing to sacrifice because they feel their comrades depend on them and that the worst possible thing is letting your friend down when you are needed the most.

[bobarose]

I agree with you Matt has become a great captain.

He cares about his men and will do whats right

for them.

[Southpaw89]

yep it's a great salute to a man who sacrificed himself for the greater good. Just like our soldiers today. Doesn't matter whether you support the war or not, you support the troops who are over there fighting for our freedom. Jain Farstrider died for the overall good of the people. A true hero

[Ryrin]

Agreed. I think Matt has matured and is much less self centered. Remember Rand with Ingtar? Ingtar sheathed the sword so Rand, Matt and Hurin could get away?

 

I was surprised when Rand said "The Light Shine on you, Lord Ingtar, House of Shinowa and may you shelter in the palm of the Creator's hand. The last embrace of the mother welcome you home."

 

I think that was a turning point for Rand as well.

[TLHansum]

Pretty sure that BS said that RJ wrote the Finn part of TOM before he died, so yeah, that was RJ

[Suttree]

Pretty sure that BS said that RJ wrote the Finn part of TOM before he died, so yeah, that was RJ

 

Correct, the ToG sequence was all RJ.

[Guest PiotrekS]

To allude to another thread, it is another example of deep change in Mat's character throughout the books. Even though young and still willing to have fun, he is in fact a veteran of many wars.