In the second part of\u00c2\u00a0Eric<\/i>, Eric completely misses the truth, and it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a disaster. Intrigued? Then it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s time for Mark to read Discworld<\/i>.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Trigger Warning: For talk of race, gender essentialism.<\/b><\/p>\n
Okay, I have a lot of questions about all of this. BEAR WITH ME.<\/p>\n
The Difference Between Demons and Gods<\/b><\/p>\n
What an odd metaphor:<\/p>\n
Demons have existed on the Discworld for at least as long as the gods, who in many ways they closely resemble. The difference is basically the same as that between terrorists and freedom fighters.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s such a strange imagery to invoke just to explain something that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s so relatively inconsequential. Are we talking about perception here or actuality? Freedom fighters, traditionally, believe that their resistance is one aimed at destroying an oppressive presence. Whether there\u00c2\u00a0is<\/i> an oppressive force at work is another matter, and I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t know if\u00c2\u00a0that<\/i> is what comprises the joke being made. Are the gods freedom fighters? The demons? We find out later that the King of the Demons\u00c2\u00a0hates<\/i> the gods, so in that sense, wouldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t he believe he is the freedom fighter in this scenario? Does that make the gods terrorists?<\/p>\n
I admit that I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t get this at all, and I suspect it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s because Pratchett chose two loaded words to make a joke.<\/p>\n
The King of the Demons<\/b><\/p>\n
Seriously, it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s\u00c2\u00a0really<\/i> hard not to picture Astfgl as Crowley from Good Omens<\/i> and\u00c2\u00a0Crowley from\u00c2\u00a0Supernatural<\/i>. IT\u00e2\u20ac\u2122S REALLY HARD.<\/p>\n
Like many characters in the\u00c2\u00a0Discworld<\/i> books, tradition plays a huge part in their own characterization and behavior. I loved the idea that Astfgl chose the most stereotypical manifestation of himself as possible. That visual representation of a narrative trope is important to building his character! He respects his own history\u00c2\u00a0as<\/i> a demon, and he understands his role in everything. At the same time, he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s in charge of a writhing pile of chaos, so to speak, and it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s not exactly an easy task. Like, I can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t even fathom what it would be like to be in charge of\u00c2\u00a0every<\/i> demon in this dimension, particularly when they\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re almost entirely single-minded and shallow in their pursuits.<\/p>\n
Getting a small peak at Pandemonium\u00c2\u00a0was<\/i> a treat, though, and I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m hoping this is not the last time we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll see the place. I WANT TO KNOW SO MUCH MORE ABOUT IT.<\/p>\n
Eric Thursley<\/b><\/p>\n
But the bulk of this section does the exact opposite of what I expected: Eric is still convinced that Rincewind is a demon. Now, even\u00c2\u00a0I<\/i> have to admit that Rincewind\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s sudden, inexplicable possession of power confuses me. Is this an issue of perception again? Because Rincewind came back into the world through a magic circle, and because Eric so wholly believe he is a demon, does that meant that the universe\u00c2\u00a0gave\u00c2\u00a0<\/i>Rincewind these powers?<\/p>\n
That\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s an issue I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll discuss once I have more information. There\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s absolutely none of it given to us because Rincewind is forced to deal with two things at once. One, he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s got powers he doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t understand; and two, Eric Thursley is ONE OF THE MOST IRRITATING CHARACTERS EVER. Actually, irritating doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t quite cut it. I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m going to quote Astfgl\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s assessment of Eric because it works so well:<\/p>\n
And he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d really been looking forward to Eric Thursley, whose brand of superintelligent gormlessness was a rare delight. Hell needed horribly bright, self-centered people like Eric. They were much better at being nasty than demons could ever manage.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
So yes, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m already pleased that\u00c2\u00a0Eric<\/i> is not treating its titular character with carelessness. Sections of the book here are\u00c2\u00a0brutal<\/i> towards him, and justifiably so! He\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s super rude to Rincewind, though I do understand that by all appearances, Rincewind really\u00c2\u00a0did<\/i> seem to be fooling Eric about his powers. Still, his requests are arrogant, sexist, racist, horrific, and I could just continue to list adjectives if I wanted to. MANY OF THEM WOULD APPLY PERFECTLY. Y\u00e2\u20ac\u2122all, when Rincewind accidentally uses magic to FLOAT\u00c2\u00a0himself, the Luggage, the parrot, and Eric, what does Eric say when he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s offered THE ENTIRE WORLD?<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Aren\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t I allowed to try it out first?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153What?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Well, supposing it doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t work? I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m not signing for it until I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve seen it work.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
You little shit.<\/i> I loved that Rincewind\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s reply was this:<\/p>\n
Rincewind stared at the boy. Then he looked down at the broad panorama of the kingdoms of the world. I wonder if I was like him at his age? he thought. I wonder how I survived?<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Because let\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s be real: most of us dudes were\u00c2\u00a0insufferable little monsters<\/i> when we were teenagers. I enjoyed that this was part of Rincewind\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s perception of him. I mean, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d like to think that I was a pretty good kid, but I was socialized to believe that I was entitled to certain things\u00c2\u00a0because<\/i> I was a guy. Granted, I feel safe in saying that I never did anything like Eric does here. HE LITERALLY DEMANDS THAT THE KINGS OF THE WORLD PAY TRIBUTE TO HIM AS THE NEW RULER. Like, if Rincewind\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s power is truly real, that means he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s been the ruler of the Discworld for a whopping sixty seconds, and he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s already making demands like this. WHAT???<\/p>\n
At the same time, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m hoping that Pratchett doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t let up on the tone of all of this. I appreciate that there are multiple instances of the text outright calling Eric\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s behavior deplorable. But given Pratchett\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s track record with non-white people\u00c2\u00a0and<\/i> with women, I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t want to see people in these categories treated as the butt of a joke. The \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Amazonian princesses\u00e2\u20ac\u009d bit is another instance of women being the object of male desire, and there\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a healthy dose of gender essentialism in the footnote about the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153masculine duties\u00e2\u20ac\u009d that men are subject to. The \u00e2\u20ac\u0153backward civilization\u00e2\u20ac\u009d bit is also uncomfortable, though I think that Pratchett\u00c2\u00a0is<\/i> poking fun at Eric\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s view\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 sort of? Still, he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s using an\u00c2\u00a0incredibly<\/i> common racist trope that portrays indigenous people as simplistic and backwards.<\/p>\n
The thing is, I can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t quite parse my feelings because I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t know where any of this is going. Well, I get the sense that absolutely\u00c2\u00a0none<\/i> of this is going to go as Eric expects it too. He imagines a fairly simplistic end to all of this: he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll be showered with treasure and women, and the Tezuman Empire will worship him as a god or supreme ruler. But the Tezuman are perpetual pessimists, right? How can they possibly believe that the arrival of Eric is a\u00c2\u00a0good<\/i> thing? Nothing good happens to them. Ever. I mean, they quite literally believe each day is worst than the last one, as if life is a never-ending plunge to a bottom that does not exist.<\/p>\n
I think it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s fine to be worried about all of this.<\/p>\n
The original text contains use of the words \u00e2\u20ac\u0153mad\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and \u00e2\u20ac\u0153idiot.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=I69xoOiYjBQ<\/p>\n
Mark Links Stuff<\/b><\/p>\n
– The Mark Does Stuff Tour 2015 is now live and includes dates across the U.S., Canada, Europe, the U.K., and Ireland. Check the full list of events on my Tour Dates \/ Appearances page.<\/a>
\n– My Master Schedule<\/a> is updated for the near and distant future for most projects, so please check it often.\u00c2\u00a0My next Double Features for Mark Watches will be the remainder of\u00c2\u00a0The Legend of Korra<\/i>, series 8 of\u00c2\u00a0Doctor Who<\/i>, and Kings<\/i>. On Mark Reads, Diane Duane’s Young Wizards<\/i> series will replace the Emelan books.
\n<\/b>-\u00c2\u00a0Mark Does Stuff is on Facebook!<\/a>\u00c2\u00a0I’ve got a community page up that I’m running. Guaranteed shenanigans!
\n– If you would like to support this website and keep Mark Does Stuff running,\u00c2\u00a0I’ve put up a detailed post explaining how you can!
\n<\/a>– Please check out the\u00c2\u00a0MarkDoesStuff.com<\/a>. All Mark Watches videos for past shows\/season are now archived there!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"In the second part of\u00c2\u00a0Eric, Eric completely misses the truth, and it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a disaster. Intrigued? Then it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s time for Mark to read Discworld.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[451],"tags":[489,463,248],"class_list":["post-3281","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-discworld","tag-eric","tag-mark-reads-discworld","tag-terry-pratchett"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/markreads.net\/reviews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3281","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/markreads.net\/reviews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/markreads.net\/reviews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/markreads.net\/reviews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/markreads.net\/reviews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3281"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/markreads.net\/reviews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3281\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/markreads.net\/reviews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3281"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/markreads.net\/reviews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3281"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/markreads.net\/reviews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3281"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}