Does anybody understand the context behind Teslyn's disappointed stares at Mat? I was confused by these, as she was the one most readily behind Mat throughout the last couple of books.
And it's been going on a while. Mat doesn't fit what all her conditioning tells her men are. He doesn't owe her a thing, has reason for animosity (and obviously does feel some) but he's helped her out a lot because he knows it's right. She's a colossal annoyance and risk he endures solely for her sake and his sense of morality. Cloistered among women without Warders, where the few fond of men are mostly tolerated as misguided eccentrics, most of the rest apparently see men as a necessary evil, at best. Mat's probably her first large exposure to male virtue, or perhaps her first taste of a man with nearly every habit women enjoy deploring in WoT, but nonetheless possessing, at times possessed by, a strong morality. Teslyn's a Red and Joline's a Green, but I think Teslyn has a lot more respect (and gratitude) for Mat.
I also think that Teslyn and Joline are representative of the fact that Reds and Greens are very similar except for this one area, men... Joline is clearly a pain in the ass while Teslyn is far more reasonable. This goes along with RJ introducing several Reds that aren't "evil"... Pevara, Silviana, Teslyn and Tarna are all "good" Reds.
I think Teslyn may be disappointed in Mat for become a Seanchan Noble... she has a good reason to hate them
It often seems many Greens choose the Ajah because they want to be 80 year old high school sophomores, mooning over boys, gossiping, being snide and petulant to peers for habits they share and generally getting into spats and causing trouble in ways that created the term "drama queen." That's not to say I don't like a lot of them, but I have too great a soft spot for that insane garbage. Let's be honest: Name three Greens who aren't a pain in the ass.
Teslyn learned the hard way that "you can never know everything and part of what you know is always wrong." It's an insight central to what makes many characters likable despite failings elsewhere. There are countless times we see Teslyn on the verge of saying "STFU, Joline, you don't what you're talking about and he does so you better listen before you get us all collared!!!" and a few where she basically does say it. For that matter, Teslyn probably knows she's not the first Tower initiate Mat saved from a fate worse than death at the risk of his own neck and with nothing more than that to gain. Thus I think you're right it's natural for her to be a little conflicted about him as Prince of Ravens, where he could make things much better for everyone or just be completely subverted:
"Matrim is a good Prince of Ravens, please do not punish Matrim further, Mistress."
Now, if you'll excuse me, I have an angry mob to flee.
Teslyn...
- 24/11/2009 03:05:45 AM
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she knows that he knows that something is up with joline. she's prob annoyed that he's done nothing. *NM*
- 24/11/2009 05:22:33 PM
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Agreed.
- 27/11/2009 12:13:59 PM
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Re: Agreed.
- 28/11/2009 03:30:34 AM
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Reasonable on Both Points.
- 28/11/2009 07:22:56 AM
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Three Greens?
- 28/11/2009 08:02:21 AM
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Re: Three Greens?
- 28/11/2009 04:02:35 PM
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