Alanna, Chapters 5 and 6

[Prof. Sky Alton]

We’ll be discussing chapters 5 and 6 of Alanna here.

What do you think these chapters tell us about accepting ourselves? How about the danger of hiding who we truly are from the rest of the world?

Remember to use those handy spoiler tags when talking about specifics of the plot.

[Prof. Sky Alton]

Mostly all spoilers....

“You can be a woman and still be a warrior.”
I’d completely forgotten how wonderful a character Coram was. He goes from doubting Alanna’s scheme to being the first one who truly accepts and believes in her for who and what she is and wants to be. The same with Raoul (candidate for my favourite Tortallan character ever, while we’re on the subject) who asks her if she’s considered that they might like her for doing things differently. I think the damage done by society is so visceral in this section as Alanna almost punishes herself for growing up into a woman and compromising her dreams. It makes me so mad that she isn’t free to value herself for who she is, even if I don’t quite agree with Mistress Cooper about always accepting what has been biologically set out for you.

Also, of all the ways for George to find out! Poor Alanna. Still, at least she’s free to be herself around another actively accepting and loyal person, that has to be a good thing.

[Shiloh Adlar]

This is a jumble of random thoughts that are coming to me at once, but hopefully everyone can get something out of it. I'm also making some assumptions given the fact that I do not know this series, and I have strong personal beliefs when it comes to women and power.

These were two more very enjoyable chapters. What has been standing out to me the most is that it seems as if Alanna wants to change who she is because she hates the fact that she's a girl, especially now that she's becoming a woman. She doesn't want people to look at her as weak or soft so she has to keep up these pretenses of being a boy to keep her secret safe and to continue doing what she loves doing. However, Alanna has made friends that she is learning she can trust and they haven't changed the way they think about her. In fact, George seems to find her even more interesting knowing her secret. There's also the fact that she's been touched by goddess and it's as if she has some sort of plan for Alanna. I think that the fact she's a woman will play an important role later on in the series.

There's also the fact that Alanna is having to live in fear of someone discovering her secret that she's a girl. She's missing out on so many opportunities due to this. Of course, if they would find out she's a girl, it's hard telling whether they would send her away from the palace or not or because of her skill and gift, allow her to stay. Caution is important, but it must be very difficult to continuously keep up the charade and spinning a web of lies.

I suppose I can relate to Alanna some, not the fact that I was mad I was a girl, but I was terrified of becoming a woman and what that would mean. I feared people looking at me differently. I feared not being able to do the things I wanted to do. I feared everything that came along with being a woman. But I think it's important to accept the fact that I am and that magic can't change it. I can't go back in time and be a little girl again. And now that I am a woman, I believe women have powers of their own that they can use. I think Alanna will realize this eventually, too. There is a reason she's under the protection of the goddess/gods.

[Katelin Ross]

The interesting plot line of this novel continues! The part of the novel that made me think that this could not happen was finally revealed in these novels,
although it was only briefly discussed. I am interested in seeing how this book ends. I hope it answers some of my questions that I have had ongoing throughout the novel.

Onto chapter 7!