A Wizard of Earthsea Essay Example
A Wizard of Earthsea Essay Example

A Wizard of Earthsea Essay Example

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  • Pages: 3 (686 words)
  • Published: October 25, 2017
  • Type: Paper
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A Wizard of Earthsea Ursula K. Le Guin Sparrowhawk, the greatest sorcerer in all earthsea, was eager for the power and knowledge in his reckless youth. With his talent of magic, he saved his village from the invaders. However, what the gift gave him was arrogance and impatience. At the wizard school, he made a friend and an enemy. In a duel, he summoned a monster, a shadow from the threshold of death, which scared him and sent him on a deadly quest across the lonely seas which were full of peril.

After taming an ancient dragon and being hunted by the shadow, he realized that a man could not know the end he went to unless he turned.Then, he went hunting the shadow, the most terrible fear in his mind. Far out on the open sea, he confronted the shado

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w and defeated it by realizing that it was his own shadow. Ultimately, he reconciled the two sides of himself. Ursula created a fantasy world that everything in the world owned its real name. For instance, Ged was Sparrowhawk’s real name, which his master gave him.

The real name contented one’s true essence. To know the real name of a thing or person was to recognize it and have complete mastery over it. Ged’s acts of wizardry usually involved finding these forgotten names and using them to protect himself or others from harm.When Ged was in the lowest tide of his life, his best friend in the wizard school, Vetch, whose real name was Estarriol, gave his real name to Ged as a symbol of trust and friendship. The greatest gift gave Ged the strengt

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to pluck up. To Ged, who had lost his faith, the gift that Vetch gave was a gift only a friend could give, the proof of unshakable, unbreakable trust.

Another essential element was the concept of balance. Just like The Creation of Ea said in the book, “Only in silence the word, only in dark the light, only in dying life. ” Everything was in equilibrium.Changing one unit into another would make an impact on the whole world of earthsea. “To light a candle is to cast a shadow.

” To keep the balance was what a wizard should have to do. Thus, before a wizard spelled wizardry, he must consider carefully the result that he might cause. This kind of perspective is similar to the ancient thought of Yin-Yang. Only in equilibrium, the world can be steady and complete. There are some characters that I like most, such as Ogion the Silence. He was Ged’s master when Ged was still a young boy.

He was not a talkative person. “To hear, one must be silent. When it rains, he never speaks the spell to stop the rain. He just let the rain hit on him and let things go naturally.

However, when Ged was hunted by the shadow and escaped toward him, Ogion taught Ged to turn. Ogion’s teaching helped Ged have the courage to counter what he was afraid of. He was the teacher that always gave advice to his prentice at the proper time. Moreover, he didn’t teach Ged any magic spells, but he educated Ged what he should have to be a wizard though Ged was too young and innocent to

understand.

Thus, every time when Ged thought of Ogion, Ged felt harmonic and peaceful.Since Ged became Ogion’s apprentice until Ged defeated his horrible dark side, Ogion had played a principal role in Ged’s adventure in earthsea. In this book, wizardry was used in everyday life. Also, there were several kinds of wizards.

Shepherds use it to keep the flock together. Most ships have wizards called weatherworkers to help keep a steady wind at the sails. That was a creative thought at that time. Besides, the real names, which gave the wizards power, and the concept of balance were attractive.

When reading this book, I felt that I didn’t just read this book but matured myself as Ged did. It is a book worthy to read.

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