Eragon Equals
Now, I'm sorry to say that I don't know how Eragon compares with the novel, despite the fact that the book club I used to design catalogs for sold it. Reading novels has taken a big hit in favor of DVDs in the last few years, and my neglected book list grows. Maybe I need to start reading books at lunch while I relax by the beach. I can't compare the film, an obvious first chapter in a trilogy, to the book, but I did see similarities to things like The Lord of the Rings or Bazil Broketail. Rey would probably point out that you can trace most literature in this model all the way back to the bible. He might also note connections to Star Wars®, which is exactly what I'm about to do.
I don't know that these parallels, based solely on the film, would necessarily be spoilers, but I did feel like I was spoiled once I recognized each archetypal role and could predict certain developments. If you're the type of person that didn't mind things like last week's commercial for this week's Smallville blatantly giving away the demise of a major character, then I guess you can read on.
Eragon=Luke Skywalker
Uncle Garrow=Uncle Owen
Carvahall=Tatooine
Brom=Obi-Wan Kenobi
Arya=Leia
Murtagh=Han Solo
Galbatorix=Darth Vader
Saphira=R2D2 and the X-Wing fighter
Durza=Darth Maul
Urgals=Stormtroopers
Ra'Zac=Bounty Hunters
Dragon Magic=The Force
Dragon Slaying Blade=Lightsaber
Ajihad=Lando Calrissian
Varden=The Rebel Alliance
By the way, just because a story follows the template of young boy from small village raised by someone other than his parents learns of a great destiny/power from a message and/or artifact and travels far under the guidance of a wise teacher whose past connects them and who sacrifices himself so the boy might achieve his destiny, defeat evil, and save the world/galaxy does not make it a bad story, only familiar. I'm just saying...
posted by MCF at 12:21 AM
7 Comments:
My wife tells me that huge amounts were left out of a perfectly adequate film. This is inevitable, of course.
You are quite right, the plot is almost a stereotype but legend is. I don't find the bible good comparison - there are many earlier examples.
Jung goes on at length about the Rite of Passage.
I didn't know what that slightly disappointed feeling I had was, until I read your review. I loved the book, and I enjoyed the movie but as a movie, it was more stereotypical than it was as a book.
Haven't read the movie or the book, but when you consider it was all from a first novel written by a teen I can't imagine you can expect greatness. Hopefully he'll grow as a writer.
(shameless plug)BTW if you don't have time to read but would like to listen to an EXCELLENT podcast of a FANTASTIC first novel during whatever commute you might have I think I can hook you up.(/shameless plug)
And I'll vouch for the above plug. It is a quite interesting start...
brain fart... It is quite an interesting start...
Get. Out. Of. My. BRAIN!
Considering the book was written by a teenager, the book is awesome, and it's three books, soon to be a fourth.
I thought the movie lacked a lot, but since this isn't really a review about the movie but a comparison to Star Wars, you did a wonderful job of analyzing the archtypes (or outlining them). Kudos! :-D
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