Minorities in Randland

[Anajon]

I just thought about different kind of folks we have met during the books - the are obviously different people groups, races, colours - there are man and woman :-)

There are homo, hetero, poli, mono, celibacy all kind of sexual ideas (even so I'm not sure about homosexual man?)

There are different professions - class systems everything BUT no disabled people!!!

 

No blind, deaf, physical disabled, anything - they can't all be healed - so where are they? Being who I am (in Randland) and doing what I do (in the real world) I don’t think I missed them or?

[Kadere]

Well I know that in The Dragon Reborn Aringill and Cairhien are both racked with starving and poor people. I would guess somewhere in there are some blind, deaf, and disabled people.

 

Outside of that I can't think of any.... which is rather odd. Though Rand is beginning to turn blind. I don't know. I'd have to read the series over.

[Guest cwestervelt]

You also get several one eyed people, be they beggars or soldiers. Noal is semi crippled, Thom is partially crippled after the Myrddraal. They are scattered throughout, they just don't let there physical disabilities hold them back.

[Moric]

Weell... There's a difference between losing an eye and being completely deaf, blind, mute or something like that. The first is a lot easier to ignore and live an almost normal life. Just like a bad limp is a very long way from being completely paralyzed or having Downs syndrome.

 

I agree that WoT have very few severely disabled people in it. This might (in my mind) to some extent be because that these would both have a harder time surviving (especially those suffering from CP, Downs Syndrome, etc.) and thus being seen (most ppl in Randland has no possibility to receive help from the Aes Sedai, you know), and if they DO survive they're probably shelterd away just to ensure continued survival.

Although that hardly explains the lack of people who are deaf, blind etc. such would still be able to beg at least... I dunno about them...

 

Moric of the Singing Wind sept of the Miagoma aiel

[Jellybelly]

I tend to think that they are there, but that there just has not been a reason to mention them. Besides, beggars are mentioned all the time, but since the pov always stays inside the head of the characters, we do not know whether these are deaf or mute etc...

[Luckers]

We have seen two people unable to walk... the two Aes Sedai in the Aiel Time Machine.

[schneb]

Lets look back a couple of hundred years of our own history. Without the modern medicine and todays concept of society taking care of everybody, people that couldn't get by on their own or with the help of their families just didn't live that long. Sure you had some disabled people in history, but those that survived were the ones with enough money or family to provide care for them.

[Moric]

My point exactly.

 

M

[Guest cwestervelt]

Lets look back a couple of hundred years of our own history. Without the modern medicine and todays concept of society taking care of everybody' date=' people that couldn't get by on their own or with the help of their families just didn't live that long. Sure you had some disabled people in history, but those that survived were the ones with enough money or family to provide care for them.[/quote']

 

You don't even need to look back a couple of hundred years in our own history. That's still quite true today.

[Mardragon]

What about the man had gone completely 'wolf', the one Moiraine and Perrin found? Would that be classed as a form of mental illness? Yes I know mental illness and mental retardation are not the same thing, and I suppose the man's mind-set would be rather 'altered' rather than damaged.. but it obviously affected his ability to function as a human being.

 

Then there are Graendal's 'toys'. True, they're more victims of massive coerscion but no doubt many if not all of them would have been mentally damaged as a result. That being said they probably don't suffer much for it. They wouldn't feel enough for that.

[Anajon]

Weell... There's a difference between losing an eye and being completely deaf' date=' blind, mute or something like that. The first is a lot easier to ignore and live an almost normal life. Just like a bad limp is a very long way from being completely paralyzed or having Downs syndrome.[/size']

 

I totally agree - it is very different to have and injury during war or fighting that leads to an disability or do be born with it. Most societies value war veterans and they have good care and well fare while most people born with a handicap will be looked down on, be thought of as cursed, or done bad stuff in their last life...

 

So I'm still surprised that there are no more disabled people - and for the beggars - the way RJ writes I'm sure he would have thrown in an adjective like “she tossed a coin to a BLIND beggarâ€, or a LAME bagger if they were disabled.

 

 

[Ozhammer]

Are there any lesbians in Randland? I would have thought Far Dareis Mai would be ripe with rampant girl on girl action! But I guess its not that kind of fantasy!

[Bob T Dwarf]

Ummmmmmmm, yeah. And not just among the Aiel. Or, did you miss all the references to pillow friends?

[Moric]

I agree fully with the point about severly disabled persons not surviving without people to look after them (and maybe even not then). That was the point I tried to make.

 

And Ozhammer> Yes there are a couple of references to lesbians (a certain windfinder and a wetlander noblewoman Cadsuane Melaidhrin took into custody, for example). But, so far, I've found no reference to MALE homosexuality. Kinda makes you wonder, no? :mrgreen:

 

Moric of the Singing Wind sept of the Miagoma aiel

[Caerlie]

Are there any lesbians in Randland? I would have thought Far Dareis Mai would be ripe with rampant girl on girl action! But I guess its not that kind of fantasy!

 

Oz - i can't believe you of all people have noticed the girl on girl action. Have you read KoD a certain high powered AS is going to try and use a previous relationship to best effect.

pillow friends abound!

[rd2000]

Moric. Nynaeve and Elayne took passage on a boat that was captained by a male homosexual. The references in that chapter were very strong that he was homosexual.

[Chosen_Graendal]

I don't remmber this. Unless it was the captain that took them to Salidar. He had a wife and children in Ebou Dar. Perhaps you could quote your referances?

[son omerc]

What about the Ogier who stayed out of the Stedding too long? I don't remember his name or which book it was in, but his mind was completely gone. He felt "empty" inside to whoever Delved him. The other Ogier took care of him, but he was not on prominent display to strangers, they had to send for him to show the group.

 

I think that very few severely handicaped people survive for long in the more primitive societies. RJ once compared Randland to the 17th century minus gunpowder and now they even have that, and the only characters we will probably see will not be severely damaged. Also the AS Healing was very limited until Nynaeve discovered the new style. Moiraine could not Heal Thom's leg because too long had passed since the attack against the Fade. I believe RJ also said in an interview that the old style Healing wouldn't affect Parkinsons or something similar but the new style COULD if they learn how to use it more fully.

[deathgate]

Perrin threatened to make some Aiel legless when he was trying to rescue Faile. Also added that he would drop them off among non-Aiel to laugh at them the rest of their life.

[Jedimuppet]

There was also a reference in a village where people had fled the seanchan that only the old, very young and lame were left behind because they could not flee.

J

[flippinaces]

or perhaps its because there isn't much a blind or deaf person could offer to the story. 

 

for example: Random Blind Person, "Yep, i still can't see anything." Random Deaf person replies, "what?"

[Luckers]

The Tower seems a more rampant playground. As if anyone is interested.

[Samakain]

No Lesiban action? people have read the new dawn right? Morinaine *stabs the name in the eye* and a certain X Seat where directly refered to as pillow friends :3 seemed to make our tiny princesses more than a little flustered...now excuse me i have to go take a cold shower

[Tyrell]

IIRC Damar was crippled, atleast to the extent that he couldn't be a knight any longer, I believe he took a lance in the thigh. It's why he became an Asha'man and his motivation for learning healing.

[dyring]

Wee. First of all, imho I don´t think this is pointed at injuries from war etc. But disabilities the persons were born with.

 

And, the answer as I see it, is that the wast majority of theese would be dead.

Some are saved today by healthcare that otherwise would have died at or just after birth, others are killed in different ways by parents/society. Few with serious disabilities would make it long, and those would be a shame to the families and locked up out of wiew.