From reading the Children of the Mind I recieved the impression that one of the big outstanding mysteries is what Quara's problem stems from. I think I have figured it out!
She treds so heavily on Jane and Young Valantine, also on Peter and even her mother, her big reactions are when faced with Miro and Peter in love.
Her fake expanation centers around being molested by Quim.
I think it is indicative that she jumped to this fantasy in stress. I believe that she was faced with a terrible issue growing up. The only strong and worthy men in her life, the ones that she probably had sexual desire for, have been forbidden and unobtainable.
Ender was her mothers husband. Miro, the childhood champion and hero of the family was a brother. Quim was to saintly to ever touch a sister, and finally Peter, an Ender surragate was so quickly in a relationship with another.
All the "Best and Brightest" men on Lusitainia are family to her, leaving her with nothing but sexual frustration or lesser men to fullfill her needs. She and Ela have also been in long-time close, intimate contact so given her rampant incestious yearnings Quara may even have propietary feelings about Ela.
I think this secret is what makes Quara so hostile, acting in the opposite all the time because she knows that to act as she is inclined would make her seem more monsterous.
BC
Posted by gwan (Member # 6194) on :
Quara was molested by Quim? I don't remember that, but maybe my memory is slipping. Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
Quara later claims, when asked for an explanation for her contrariness and sympathy for the Descolada, to have been molested by Quim. She later "retracts" the accusation, saying that she enjoys watching her family try to decide whether it's the truth or not.
Posted by skrika03 (Member # 5930) on :
I think she only said it to Jane/Val, in an explanation of her general twitchiness. It was all within one conversation.
Posted by Jia-Ning (Member # 6406) on :
New here! But that's obvious, so anyway.
I'm pretty sure Quara says the 'molested by Quim' comment sarcastically to Wang-Mu, when Wang-Mu is trying to befriend her at the end of Children of the Mind.
Bean Counter, the theory you mentioned is definitely possible, but I don't think OSC ever hints at anything like that in the books. Still, it's interesting to think of it that way. I can't believe I only just realized now that that's a major thread OSC still has to tie up; I'm sure Quara's dysfuncionality (is that a word?) could take up an entire book on its own!
[ April 02, 2004, 04:14 PM: Message edited by: Jia-Ning ]
Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
I can't imagine it would be pleasant to read it, though.
Posted by Apooche (Member # 6384) on :
I beleive that it is a good book idea, but leave it to Card to decide, because of copyright issues.
Bean Counter, interesting theory!! It works perfectly, but you left one possibility out. She could of been angry further at her fammily for acting releived when her father died. I agree with that entire thing about desire and frustration, and didn't notice it when i first read the books because i was tied up in the other things in the story and took "Quara's anoying (for lack of stronger word)" as a given and just never noticed it as i read past the introduction of the characher.
Posted by Admiral Ender (Member # 6414) on :
if there was a book only on quara and her, problem, i would burn it. i cant stand her and her views. some things start to make sense but then she thinks shes always right once shes right on one thing. shes so close minded and stuck up that it took me awhile to get through the end of children of the mind.
Posted by pooka (Member # 5003) on :
Oh, right it was Si Wang Mu. Looks like it's time to go back and read the whole thing. Adm. Ender, that's M. Scott Peck's clinical definition of evil in People of the Lie . Awesome book.
Posted by Jia-Ning (Member # 6406) on :
Yeah, I wouldn't like to see a whole book about Quara's issue either, but it would be interesting to finally understand the source of them all the same, IMHO.
There's going to be a book linking Ender's 'offspring' with Bean's, right? OSC will probably solve all mysteries then. Or something.
Posted by Admiral Ender (Member # 6414) on :
the thing that im wondering about with the linking book of enders series and shadow series is that, if beans kids survived im sure one of them would have antons key and would die quickly. if so, then that ones line of kids would have to reproduce very quickly, and for 3000 years if they are still alive in enders series. also, if beans kids are on earth then they would have made a big difference in the 100 worlds. maybe they have, or maybe they went into hiding to keep humanity safe, or went looking for a planet of their own, who knows. i guess ill just have to see what card thinks up.
Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
My guess is that Bean has one kid, and that it will show up for that book. That kid will have traveled as near-light speeds for the last 3000 years, which is why nobody has heard of him/her.
Posted by Bean Counter (Member # 6001) on :
Perhaps one of Bean's Children with Anton's Key set out at relativistic speed to slow his growth, with an ansible program that would keep him in stasis until it recognized the existence of a super splicer technology that could save him, IE the virus from Path. So it is likely he will show up and become intimate with Ela and Quara to find a solution to his problem and he could become Quara's Love interest.
Though if you think about it. While I am sure OSC would not look at it that way, if Quara softens and mellows in the arms of a lover, then what is being advocated is that she just "needed to get laid."
Kind of amusing. BC
Posted by Admiral Ender (Member # 6414) on :
that is a pretty good and interesting explanation. thats something new to think about during school all day!
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