is eugenides an "underdog"?

[cindy-pon.livejournal.com]

i'm part of the enchanted inkpot and
today's topic of the week is the underdog
in fantasy.

we had a huge discussion as to why
this is popular in fantasy books and also
who are under dogs in novels that we read?

of course, i brought up gen.
he is the best nonconventional hero i know.
a thief--and then a thief without a hand!

but some argued that being an underdog
is about status and power and gen actually
placed himself in powerless situations like
in THE THIEF for his own purposes.

i think that an underdog is one that faces
a situation that seems impossible to best,
a quest that is impossible to complete, etc.

or is the underdog more like the "average joe"
aka frodo of lord of the rings? since gen had the
privilege of royal training and backing? is GOOD at
what he does? do you think gen is an under dog
by your own reading definitions?

original discussion on inkpot is here.