Hatrack River Forum: Just finished reading Enchantment

This is topic Just finished reading Enchantment in forum Discussions About Orson Scott Card at Hatrack River Forum.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
http://www.hatrack.com/ubb/main/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=005437

Posted by Enderwillsaveusall (Member # 6227) on :

I have finally gotten around to reading Enchantment and i enjoyed it thoroughly.

I've been searching the forums for an answer to my question but i haven't found one so maybe some one could help. (SPOILERS)

Did they ever explain in the book who or what brought Ivan to Katerina which set off the chain of events in the book? I was just curious if it was simply just fate, the Christian God, or a god from the Russian folklore.

Also i want to share a little thing i discovered after reading the book.

After reading i wanted to know when the book was published so i went to the beginning of the book to look for it. The funny thing i found was the the book had been signed by OSC! I bought the book through Amazon and was pleasantly surprised to receive a copy signed by him. He wrote, "To Patrick, Don't get eaten by a bear!" I thought this was cool and worth sharing. [Big Grin]

Posted by Phillyn (Member # 12597) on :

Yes, very cool.

Posted by millernumber1 (Member # 9894) on :

This book is absolutely fantastic. The first non-Ender book I read by OSC which made me go "Wow." I only liked it at first, but on second, third, tenth, etc rereadings, I love it even more.

I think the idea was to leave it ambiguous to people could read it as they wished. I personally read it as the Judeo-Christian God (since Ivan is Jewish), but I could see a non-providential reading, or even a paganistic reading. I'm curious to know where OSC's beliefs were at the time, since he's recently state that he doesn't believe God takes that kind of long-term planning role in the world.

Posted by Hobbes (Member # 433) on :

I think one of the keys to a good romance is it leaves the mysterious mysterious. Of course another key, or staple anyway, is the 'meet cute' which this was.

There's some mention of how he really was the only one that could have, well, been the one. Speaking the language, knowing the culture and what have you. Was it a comment from the author on the nature of the world or of God? I've never really understood why we look to the author and their personal beliefs to figure out the answer. If it's not on the page it's something you get to bring to the experience. Do you believe in a God that would plan it out like this? If so, that's what it was. If you're into fate you'll see it clearly here. If life is a series of coincidences then that's what we're experiencing. Or if you want, feel free to add a series of rules to the magic of the pit that would make a non-whatever language that was since I forget-speaker not be able to enter. It's your experience reading, enjoy it! [Cool]

Hobbes

Posted by pooka (Member # 5003) on :

Long term planning implies a boundary by time that may or may not be applicable. The witches were kin to Ivan, and Mikhailovich (sp?) was his "uncle". But it was a matter as well of him being a track athlete.

It's strange because on the one hand the events had already happened, but events they chose to do also had effects.