Essay Questions

Shasta and Aravis both make assumptions about each other. What are some of these and are they right or wrong?

Shasta assumes Aravis will not wait for him at the caves as they agreed because she has not been very friendly; he assumes that she will be only too pleased to continue on their journey without him and in fact would rather do so. He is wrong in this assumption as although she has not been friendly she has both pride and honor and would not consider backing out of an agreement.Aravis assumes that because Shasta is not an experienced horseman and is a poor son of a fisherman that he will not be much of a warrior but this assumption is proved wrong when he leaps from his horse and goes back to try to rescue her from the lion's attack at great danger to himself.

What are the main differences and similarities between Aravis and Lasaraleen?

The most obvious difference between the two characters is that Laradaleen will put up with a great deal of traditional female oppression if it means that she is able to accumulate jewels and new dresses. She loves to show off her clothes and wants everyone in town to see her new things whereas Aravis is far less concerned about fashion and a pampered lifestyle and far more concerned about breaking free from the traditional role carved out for her. The one thing they both have in common is honor in their friendship and to their word; although it would cause problems for her should they be caught, Lasaraleen does not hesitate to help her friend escape and it does not occur to her to betray her for what would be considerable reward.

Who are the strongest female role models in the novel?

Aravis and Susan are strong role models because they refuse to allow their lives to be dictated to by men. Aravis does not want to marry the man chosen for her and so runs away rather than having to spend her life in misery and with a man she does not love. Susan has made it clear that she doe not want to marry Rabadash and that this is her decision to make, not his. Both are good examples of women in a traditional society carving out roles for themselves that go beyond merely being somebody's wife. Queen Lucy is also a strong role model because she fights in battle alongside the men and has honed her skills so that she is more skilled than any other archer in Barbia which is again outside of the normal roles expected of women.