Siuan's failure to properly help Rand should motivate Egwene to overthrow...oh, right. Egwene. 
Cannoli Send a noteboard - 19/03/2010 11:52:10 PM
Cannoli Send a noteboard - 19/03/2010 11:52:10 PM
...I also think that part of RJ's motivation in making their rise to power so "easy" has to do with their ages and lack of experience.
To take a simple example... Egwene in the Tower under Siuan. The first and most logical question is, why would she even begin to work against Siuan? As you said, it is easy for an objective reader to point out the flaws in Siuan's reign and realize that her style of doing things would not suffice in this kind of changing world.
But where would an eighteen year old village girl with no political experience even begin to find the requisite foresight and wisdom needed to make such a discovery? Even if she did, imagine how hard it would be for her to find any allies at all. Would even Nynaeve and Elayne have supported her if she decided one day to depose Siuan? Would it have seemed realistic if she succeeded?
Initially I had assumed in my hypothetical alternative scenario that Siuan's attachment to the status quo, refusal to adapt to Rand's new order and obsessive focus on her own priorities and strategems, combined issues that arise from her refusal to accept the destruction that will accompany Rand's efforts, would motivate Egwene & co to take the side or, or stir up sisters who were disenchanted with Siuan's mishandling of the situation. But, silly me. That would necessitate Egwene giving a damn about Rand when his actions clashed with the Tower's agenda. Sorry, I was so foolish. You Egwene fans know her so well, of course you would immediately see that there is no way she would ever be motivated to rise up and take down the Amyrlin Seat because it had to be done for Rand.To take a simple example... Egwene in the Tower under Siuan. The first and most logical question is, why would she even begin to work against Siuan? As you said, it is easy for an objective reader to point out the flaws in Siuan's reign and realize that her style of doing things would not suffice in this kind of changing world.
But where would an eighteen year old village girl with no political experience even begin to find the requisite foresight and wisdom needed to make such a discovery? Even if she did, imagine how hard it would be for her to find any allies at all. Would even Nynaeve and Elayne have supported her if she decided one day to depose Siuan? Would it have seemed realistic if she succeeded?
Cannoli
"Sometimes unhinged, sometimes unfair, always entertaining"
- The Crownless
“Tolerance is the virtue of the man without convictions.” GK Chesteron
Deus Vult!
"Sometimes unhinged, sometimes unfair, always entertaining"
- The Crownless
“Tolerance is the virtue of the man without convictions.” GK Chesteron
Deus Vult!
Did the characters come too easily to power?
- 16/03/2010 11:37:31 PM
1985 Views
Yes, and for Rand at least IMO, playing nice has cost dearly
- 17/03/2010 04:59:32 AM
1000 Views
Not necessarily
- 18/03/2010 03:17:10 PM
941 Views
Good post.
- 27/03/2010 01:43:24 PM
797 Views
Unfortunately, no.
- 31/03/2010 10:23:58 AM
912 Views
Re: Unfortunately, no.
- 02/04/2010 07:54:10 AM
738 Views
All the way through, up to ripping her self-delusional assessments of her "achievements" in KoD
- 02/04/2010 09:27:54 PM
814 Views
TLDR *NM*
- 17/03/2010 05:43:01 AM
614 Views
Cmon ppl pls reply to this, Cannoli has spent such a long time writing it.... I couldn't be bothered *NM*
- 17/03/2010 10:31:38 AM
394 Views
*NM*
Rand is at the perfect position after TGS for his downfall...
- 17/03/2010 02:49:55 PM
902 Views
Re: Rand is at the perfect position after TGS for his downfall...
- 17/03/2010 06:15:18 PM
852 Views
I usually read Cannoli's epic-length posts...
- 17/03/2010 04:08:33 PM
908 Views
Ha! Imagine if I didn't double-space the paragraphs. That is a fairly new practice on my part. 
*NM*
- 18/03/2010 03:36:13 PM
428 Views
*NM*
- 18/03/2010 03:36:13 PM
428 Views
I'd suggest you had more paragraphs......with a lot of spacing.....
*NM*
- 19/03/2010 04:42:05 AM
453 Views
*NM*
- 19/03/2010 04:42:05 AM
453 Views
Sheesh, you people are babies. I read it. Some good points.
- 17/03/2010 05:35:08 PM
857 Views
Re: Sheesh, you people are babies. I read it. Some good points.
- 17/03/2010 10:08:34 PM
979 Views
Oh and I forgot to add
- 18/03/2010 01:41:28 AM
893 Views
I would say those cases are both examples of aknowledging their own limitations and priorities
- 18/03/2010 04:02:13 PM
955 Views
Re: Did the characters come too easily to power?
- 17/03/2010 06:10:22 PM
886 Views
I was more focussed on the cost of GETTING power, not the prices of discharging it responsibly
- 18/03/2010 04:27:18 PM
980 Views
While most of this is true...
- 19/03/2010 06:47:19 AM
781 Views
Siuan's failure to properly help Rand should motivate Egwene to overthrow...oh, right. Egwene.
- 19/03/2010 11:52:10 PM
810 Views
- 19/03/2010 11:52:10 PM
810 Views
Re: The To'Raken
- 06/04/2010 06:00:07 AM
843 Views