Eragon: My Thoughts

The book Eragon is one of the most exciting recent fantasy books. It is a real page-turner, and I greatly enjoyed it. This book has many hidden themes and meanings. For example, every action that a character took sastisfied a need for them. When Eragon pursued the Ra'zac after they had killed Garrow, he was satisfying a need for revenge, because he wanted to kill the people who had slain his Uncle. Revenge is covered in the basic need of power over. Eragon felt small, weak, and unimportant after his Uncle was killed. He wanted to have the power over the Ra'zac by kiling them. Pursuing the Ra'zac also satisfied his need for survival. Since Eragon had the dragon egg, now Saphira, the Empire wanted him dead so he couldn't become an important asset to the Varden, who opposed Galbatorix. Eragon had one mission, one goal: to overthrow the rule of Galbatorix. Eragon and the Vardens' quality world picture was a world where Alagesia was ruled by an honest, just ruler, and the riders kept peace and helped Alagesia to prosper. He also envisioned a world where every race, elves, humans, dwarves, and dragons lived in harmony and peace, and all of Alagesia prospered. On the other hand, Galbatorix's 'quality world view was a world where he has absolute power over everyone in his empire. He is a power-hungry despot, and will not stop until he has total power over everyone and everything. He does not care about the welfare of anyone but himself, and is a cruel and unjust ruler. Roran, and the people of Carvahall, as well as every other villager throughout the empire just want a quiet, peaceful, and serene life, and want nothing to do with politics outside of their small community. To them, a war to overthrow Galbatorix is nothing but unnessecary bloodshed, and they want no part of it. They don't like galbatorix, due to high taxes and poverty, but most are not willing to act on their disapproval of galbatorix. If their peaceful lives are undisturbed, they are fine with that. But there comes a time when you can not just sit back and watch the events going on around you, you must take a stance and fight for your freedom. Although Eragon's case was largely circumstantial, he chose to leave his quiet life of poverty behind, and fight for what he believed in. Eragon could have chosen to sat back and watch while events unfurled, but instead he acted upon his beliefs, and fought for justice and freedom for Alagesia.