Question of the Week 9/1

[Cocoa]

Ian went from a barbaric Soul hating human to a Soul loving pacifist in a very short span of time.

Do you feel as though Ian's transformation was realistic? What could cause someone undergo such a drastic change in idiology?

[December]

Perceptiveness -- or if you prefer, sensitivity -- and a capacity to look beyond his own preconceptions to see what Wanderer herself is really like. And imagination: enough to get past the fact that Wanderer has to all intents and purposes killed Melanie, and recognize that she is in all other respects selfless and good -- that her original sin, if you like, is not of her choosing, but innate to her kind and essential to their survival. (Anybody recognize the author yet?...(*grin*)).

Oh crikey, that's only the beginning of an answer but I really mustn't stay on another minute tonight! Great question though.... More later, I hope.

LEX ODYSSEY CLUE #9
We’ve threads for every character that Stephenie has written,
But none so popular as this; you’d think we all were smitten!

[sleepingfear]

Ignorance gives so many people an excuse for atrocious behavior, although I don't think that it is ever an acceptable explanation. But I think this was the case with Ian: he knew nothing about souls except from the conclusions he had drawn himself, from the rumours that all the humans came up with. He had lost people to them, too. But when he really began to understand that his assumptions were wrong and there was a lot more to it than he thought, we see his hate and bloodlust melt away little by little. He really is a compassionate character--but it was blocked before by misconceptions and hurt.

[Cocoa]

I have often thought it was the act of seeing a woman physically assaulted that he couldn't handle. It was one thing for him to imagine it, it was quite another for it to be carried out infront of him and watch the defenslessness of the victim.

I wonder though over the difference between the brothers. Why one was able to see so clearly the innocence of a life while the other (seemingly brought up by the same moral code) so easily rejected his morality.

Anybody recognize the author yet?..

Not a clue! LOL Enlighten us please.

Ignorance gives so many people an excuse for atrocious behavior,

This is very true, but I not sure that it completely applies to Ian. He had knowledge. He watched his family/friends/world be taken over(killed) by this alien force. It was the same knowledge that Kyle had. So what made Ian able to turn his back on his personal knowledge and accept Wanderer? I wonder if it had anything to do with Ian not having a wife/girlfriend to be taken away. Both Kyle and Jared had lost a "mate". Perhaps that type of companion los was more diffcult to see past then the loss of a parent or sibling.

[Ouisa]

I have often thought it was the act of seeing a woman physically assaulted that he couldn't handle. It was one thing for him to imagine it, it was quite another for it to be carried out infront of him and watch the defenslessness of the victim.

Cocoa I think you are right. We know from Wanderer that Ian is a sensitive and kind man; Wanderer even describes him as almost being a Soul. Who else would be open to seeing and honoring those same qualities in Wanderer than the Human Soul. He was too kind and open to continue to hate in the face of the true nature of the Souls.

I wonder though over the difference between the brothers. Why one was able to see so clearly the innocence of a life while the other (seemingly brought up by the same moral code) so easily rejected his morality.

I think Kyle too saw the truth. He just fought it longer, probably out of mourning for Jodi. I like what Stephenie said about Kyle and Wanderer at the Seattle Breaking Dawn Concert. She was asked why Kyle could fall in love with Sunny when he hated Wanda so much. Here was her answer

The reason is because he knew Wanda and even though he reacted pretty negatively toward her himself, it let him view Sunny in a whole different perspective. And so he wasn't able to have that negative reaction. Once you've been hanging out around a Soul it's hard to see them in the same way.

[ilovespaceheaters]

I think it was just that the humans were forced to believe that the Souls were bad. They didn't see Souls as anything but evil. When Ian realised that Wanda was just innocent and would never harm a fly he started to re think things. And from then he fell in love. I don't think the change was that drastic. It was love. Haha. So cliche.

[Li'lBit]

I didn't ever see Ian as an evil person who became good overnight. One thing I loved about his character is that it illustrated so beautifully that someone who is truly good to the core can make incredibly serious mistakes when fear is involved. It's true for more than just him, as well. It's impossible to blame these men and women for their fear (and the resulting hatred) - the souls had taken everything from them, even the people they most loved. Interestingly, Jeb is the character that contrasts Ian and the others the best - of course he shares the same fears, but he is never ruled by his fears. He's able to look past them and push them aside in order to make wise decisions even in tense situations.

[December]

One thing I loved about his character is that it illustrated so beautifully that someone who is truly good to the core can make incredibly serious mistakes when fear is involved....Interestingly, Jeb is the character that contrasts Ian and the others the best - of course he shares the same fears, but he is never ruled by his fears. He's able to look past them and push them aside in order to make wise decisions even in tense situations.

Yes indeed! What a great observation: fear can drive even truly good people to terrible errors of judgement. Jeb is both unflappable and almost uncannily perceptive -- he not only recognizes that Wanderer isn't a threat but guesses that Melanie is still with her. Jeb has an unusual knack for seeing straight to the heart of things: we see it over and over again.

Of course, it's also made clear that Jeb is a bit of a nutcase....

[Li'lBit]

Of course, it's also made clear that Jeb is a bit of a nutcase....

LOL - yes, one of those nutcases that I hope to be near if anything awful ever happens!

[SparklingDiamond]

Interesting question. As far as Ian goes, I feel that being in love simply made him want to be a better person. Love generally brings about this desire; however, whether or not one acts on it is an entirely different story.

Cocoa wrote:
I wonder though over the difference between the brothers. Why one was able to see so clearly the innocence of a life while the other (seemingly brought up by the same moral code) so easily rejected his morality.


I think Kyle too saw the truth. He just fought it longer, probably out of mourning for Jodi.

I agree with Ouisa. Kyle had just suffered a lot more loss that Ian had at the hands of the souls. For him, it was impossible to separate the hurt from its source. Until, of course, Sunny came along. In the end, I had a hard time with their relationship. I wondered how sincere it was, and how much of it was just Kyle holding on to the memory of what once was with Jodi. But..... that's another topic altogether.