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Leaky Lounge > HP-Related Discussion: Diagon Alley > Leaky Sites: Cauldron's Corner > Special Event Archives > The Chronicles of Narnia: Part 2

 
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Aravis
Perenelle
post Nov 7 2008, 03:31 PM
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"My name is Aravis Tarkheena and I am the only daughter of Kidrash Tarkaan, the son of Rishti Tarkaan, the son of Kidrash Tarkaan, the son of Ilsombreh Tisroc, the son of Ardeeb Tisroc who was descended in a right line from the god Tash."


When Aravis first appears in The Horse and his Boy she is proud and arrogant and rude and dismissive towards Shasta. However we then learn her story and discover that she is strong and bright and has made a very brave and defiant decision to run away to Narnia to escape a horrible arranged marriage. As she accompanies Shasta and has adventures of her own she seems to become more agreeable and after her encounter with Aslan apologises to him and becomes a good friend. We then discover that in later years Aravis marries Shasta (Cor) and becomes Queen of Archenland.


What do you think of Aravis as a character? Is her stand-offishness a result of her upbringing and culture or should she know better?

Is her decision to run away from her pre-arranged marriage a brave one or is she being selfish and abandoning her duty to her family?

What of the contrast between Aravis and her friend Lasaraleen? Did Aravis improve in your estimation after this encounter? Or was it the wounding from Aslan that turned her character around?

Are Aravis and Shasta suited to each other? What kind of a ruler do you think she would make in Archenland?

This post has been edited by Perenelle: Nov 10 2008, 03:06 PM


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bunya dragon
post Nov 11 2008, 07:52 PM
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What do you think of Aravis as a character? Is her stand-offishness a result of her upbringing and culture or should she know better?

I didn't like Aravis when we first meet her in the book. She looked down on Shasta in particular and only put up with him because he was accompanying Bree, and because Bree was a personality of some consequence. But I think this standoffishness is a result of her cultural upbringing.

Is her decision to run away from her pre-arranged marriage a brave one or is she being selfish and abandoning her duty to her family?

No, it isn't a selfish decision at all, except that one of her objections to her pre-arranged marriage is on the grounds that Ahoshta is base-born. Whilst her objections to his age, and appearance is reasonable enough, especially as she is only a young girl, the base-born bit shows that she is being as much of a snob about him as she is about Shasta.

It was probably a brave thing to do to run away, and she made a good plan to do it. Her step-mother might well have thought that it was a good marriage for Aravis, though, considering that Ahoshta was the Grand Vizier. Considering that Lazaraleen also thought it was a good marriage for Aravis to make, would Aravis' own mother have found her a better marriage?

This post has been edited by bunya dragon: Nov 11 2008, 08:34 PM
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WaggaWaggaWerewo...
post Nov 16 2008, 05:42 AM
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QUOTE(bunya dragon @ Nov 12 2008, 11:52 AM) *
I didn't like Aravis when we first meet her in the book. She looked down on Shasta in particular and only put up with him because he was accompanying Bree, and because Bree was a personality of some consequence.....No, it isn't a selfish decision at all, except that one of her objections to her pre-arranged marriage is on the grounds that Ahoshta is base-born. Whilst her objections to his age, and appearance is reasonable enough, especially as she is only a young girl, the base-born bit shows that she is being as much of a snob about him as she is about Shasta.


Now I find your point of view quite interesting. Because when Aravis finally does get to see Ahoshta in action her instinct about him is borne out completely. Ahoshta may be 'base-born' and it might seem like Aravis is a snob. But Ahoshta gets where he is by knowing how to grovel and flatter, not because of any redeeming personality features. He simply knows how to play people against each other.

Whatever her own sense of her place in Calormene society when she first meets Shasta, Aravis does change. She accepts the poor clothes she wears into Tashbaan with more composure than Bree accepts getting his tail cut. Perhaps she even found these clothes more practical than the rigout Lazaraleen got her to wear whilst they traversed the palace. I don't necessarily think that Aravis' own mother would have married her off to someone like Ahoshta, but I do agree that Aravis might not be much better off. Calormen is a place where people don't get to choose whom they marry.


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