The Tombs of Atuan by Ursala K. Le Guin

[zorealis]

I finished this, the second book in the series, today.


I really enjoyed this one. Tenar is an extremely relatable character. I loved watching her growth in spite of the society into which she was born. The intertwining of religion with the political powers that oppressed her and the other girls was especially poignant for me. The cruelty and complicitness of the older women in forcing submission from the girls was extremely noticeable and really depicted intergenerational trauma well.

What spoke most deeply to me was the later part of the book. Once Tenar , with the help of Ged's advice, had won her freedom and escaped the imprisonment that the tombs and temple represented she reflects on her past actions. She could recognize that she had been in a place of oppression and disempowerment, but also realize that she did perform cruel actions and oppress others while also being a victim. That need to reconcile the ways in which we hurt others while we ourselves are hurting is something I still struggle with a lot and seeing it in Tenar was somehow comforting.

Comments

[pauraque]

I couldn't agree more. The book has such clarity around the experience of victimization and the fact that it doesn't absolve Tenar from responsibility for how she treats others. I should read The Farthest Shore real quick; it's been a while since I revisited it.