The White Mountains Discussion 4

Here is an image that shows freedom, this is the url ... http://imagecache2.allposters.com/images/EUR/1200-1044.jpg

The quote :

"The bitter thing was all the spirit, all the gallantry, was wasted. For even more than inferiors, they accepted and looked forward to being Capped. It was a part of becoming a knight, or of turning from a girl to lady. Thinking of this, I saw how good things could be meaningless in isolation. What value did courage have, without a free and challenging mind to direct it?" ( pg. 111 )

At this time in the book, Will was living in the luxurious castle. He loved this life and would have stayed and been capped if Eloise had not left him to work for the evil Tripods. Will would want to stay because he is treated kindly by the Comtesse, and even though he has awkward situations with Eloise's father ( the Comte ) Will knows that they are all lovely people. But the real one reason that Will would want to stay is because of Eloise ( the Comte and Comtesse's daughter ) who he has fallen in "love" with. Eloise and her family have all been capped. Even though Will is in "love" with Eloise, she belongs heart and soul to The Tripods. She cannot be her own person because she can never be un-capped. And now she has left Will forever because The Tripods have sent her to work for them. Will is of course, devastated. This is how this quote can show that Eloise, the Comte and the Comtesse, have no freedom. Whatever The Tripods say, they must do. It is not an option, they must obey. The quote seems as if Will is disgusted in his fellow people who look forward to being capped. ( It is the way the book was written to make him sound like that. ) Will is caught up in the decision of whether he should stay at the castle, or if he should go to The White Mountains. He does choose to go to The White Mountains ( only because Eloise leaves him to be queen ) and get his freedom. * Smart choice Will!!! * If he had stayed surely he would become a capped man, therefore he would have no freedom at all. This chapter is all about freedom, everything involves it, Will's big decision is very important for freedom in this chapter.