Koa Question:

[finding-further.livejournal.com]

I was recently rereading KoA and had a question. I doubt that many here would be spoiled by plot details of KoA, but

Okay, so I was at the part just after the assassination attempt where Ornon, says, "It isn't very deep." MWT goes on to describe Ornon as "leaning over the wound, looking critical and mildly disappointed."

So, why is Ornon mildly disappointed? Is it because Gen's wound isn't more serious (a momentary throwback to Ornon's contentious history with Gen) or is he disappointed because Gen's wound is more serious than he is letting on?

Neither view quite seems to fit. We know Ornon's trying to reassure the Queen at this point in the story, but the wound truly isn't that serious (aside from the risk of infection) and Ornon even reiterates that point to the Queen a few pages later. So is he mildly disappointed the wound wasn't worse? This doesn't fit either, since we know Ornon wants Gen to succeed as King and, I believe, he truly cares for Gen's welfare.


I keep going round and round with this one, and would love to benefit from your collective insight.

Comments

[ulkis.livejournal.com]

Maybe he's mildly disappointed Gen made a large racket over a small wound. (He thought Gen was whining for nothing?)

[beth-shulman.livejournal.com]

I thought it was part of his little act there, to corroborate Gen's pretending that he wasn't gravely wounded, and that he looked mildly disappointed because Gen could do so much better, meaning get into much worse scrapes that justify that degree of complaining.

I guess, thinking about it more, Ornon is probably pretending to be disgusted that Gen is making such a fuss over a scratch. Again, though, I think it's an act. Ornon isn't a stupid man and he knows Gen. He had to know that a) the wound was dangerous, and b) Gen's complaining means that he's hiding something. Ornon was backing him up.

Sorry for the incoherence!

[claire-mirkwood.livejournal.com]

Yes. Exactly.
Ornon is trying to help Gen as he hides his wound from Irene. Doubtless, he knows exactly how to get Gen so ticked that it looks as if he's fine.
Even though he's not. It's a very, very bad cut. This is made clear later.

So there's my opinion, at least.

[tiegirl.livejournal.com]

I think this and this. That is, what claire and beth said.

[beth-shulman.livejournal.com]

Have I ever told you that I love your icon? I lol every time I see it.

[tiegirl.livejournal.com]

Why thank you! Te Aroha made it for me. It truly is the infamous Tie, the amazing Attolian man-eating burping hound.

[beth-shulman.livejournal.com]

I will never not laugh at that...

[aspectabund.livejournal.com]

Because Eugenides bugs the crap out of him. C:

I doubt Ornon'd actually want Gen to come to any sort of serious harm, but an injury that gives Ornon an extended vacation is probably much to be hoped for. Also, when you're in a situation where you know that the person isn't really going to die or anything, it's pretty harmless to think wistfully of the benefits (real or imagined) that serious injury of said annoying person could bring.

[ilonaotus.livejournal.com]

The way I've always read this part is that as Gen is in all ways making it clear to everyone that he's in very great pain, at the brink of his death and all that, Ornon assumes the wound must be very critical but when he sees it, he realises that Gen is just acting again, behaving like himself (i.e. very un-kingly) and Ornon would be more dissapointed in Gen in general than in the wound. :D

[ilonaotus.livejournal.com]

Or, what everyone else said during the time it took me to write my comment. XD

[timeisinfinite.livejournal.com]

Haha, well I pretty much agree with what you and everyone else said :)

[vaireweaver.livejournal.com]

I read it a little different from you, but I agree with a lot of the posts here: Gen is being whiny and complaining so that everyone will think he's not hurt, he's just being a baby. Ornon is playing along with this, faking disappointment and giving Gen another opportunity to call attention away from the serious wound and onto his antics.

Irene is a little more relieved by Ornon's opinion, but when Gen stops acting so that he can be stitched up, the wound's seriousness and the blood *does* get to her.

And that's why Costis wonders what the strong man thinks he's hiding when he's wounded and stoically says he's fine.

Gen hides his serious wound with unbelievable hysteria, all the while having the time of his life. Typical. :D

I love this scene.

[drashizu.livejournal.com]

I always interpreted that as an act put on for Irene's benefit. If this were a truly dangerous situation, you'd expect Ornon---the Eddisian ambassador---to be at the top of the list of people freaking out. So the fact that he's examining the wound critically as if Gen could have done better, and being a bit sarcastic about his relationship with Gen by looking noticeably disappointed that Gen isn't more hurt, makes the whole thing seem less serious. Like he was excited to think he'd get to see a giant gaping wound, and is disappointed that "it's not very deep." Since the situation isn't actually dire, he can joke around like that. Only, since he's Ornon, his jokes are dry and involve Gen and pain.

[tiegirl.livejournal.com]

Ooooh, yes, well put!

[thesehnsucht.livejournal.com]

I'm pretty sure it's all part an put on by Gen & Ornon to calm down Irene and keep her from going on a manhunt.
"He hardly cared if the palace was in a panic. There was only one person he'd been hiding the extent of the injury from, the queen."
and Gen was complaining the whole way, saying he is "hideously" hurt, "mortally wounded" and "disemboweled"
The scene is meant to be comic in my opinion

and then because Ornon sees what Gen is trying to do and realizes Irene isn't buying it, he chirps in "It isn't very deep" and for dramatic effect, he "[leans] over the wound, looking critical and mildly disappointed"
again, meant to be funny (not in the haha way) and calm Irene. Don't you think this is exactly like Irene's own sense of humor? Just like the dinner banquet scene with the 'I'll have him flayed if you like'

then Gen, ecstatic that Ornon's got his back, sends the whole thing home with "It is... too... deep!"
and then Ornon & attendants wind it down

if you ask me, Gen & co. put on a supreme act
they managed to put Irene out of her bloodthirsty rage, and if you ask me, Irene was probably scared out of her wits that Gen was seriously hurt
but then she sees the blood and faints anyway remembering Gen as she cut of his hand

an there's my very long and repetitive two cents

[tiegirl.livejournal.com]

Hee hee, I like it!

[ninedaysaqueen.livejournal.com]

We must remember that this scene is from Costis's point-of-view, and he doesn't know Ornon and he's only known Gen for a few months. Plus, he is generally clueless, which leaves the reader to interpret scenes based on the information one knows from the previous books.

I might also point out that Gen is in dire need of backup at this point with his efforts to prevent Irene and everyone else from breaking out into panic/blood-rage. Everyone has realized that he is seriously wounded and is not just belly-aching over a scratch. Any further attempts to lighten the atmosphere with his buffoonery would come across as stilted and transparent.

Ornon sees this and steps in as backup in the little game of idiocy.

Gen can start screaming again without it sounding too fake, Ornon scolds him, and everyone else laughs.

An all around success... until Irene faints.

[finding-further.livejournal.com]

*looks up*

Awwww.... thanks everyone for chiming in.

Lots of great views, here: Ornon mildly disappointed because Gen is once again acting like an unkingly ass (i.e. screaming bloody murder when he is not, in fact, mortally wounded); Ornon seeming disappointed to help Gen hide the seriousness of the wound from the Queen; Ornon truly disappointed because Gen annoys the crap out of him and his wistful hope for a brief respite is dashed...

So, now that I'm enlightened, I'm gonna say it's all of the above!!

[ninedaysaqueen.livejournal.com]

*snickers*