Title: "Some Genetics Are Passed on Via the Soul:" the Curious Case of Susan Sto-Helit
Abstract: 1 The idea for this essay can be traced back to fact that no female seem to have impressed Gideon Haberkorn enough to be discussed in Palimpsests: Terry Pratchett's New Fantasy (2008), although he claims that he will examine Pratchett's revision of modern fantasy hero, who undergoes complete and thorough reinvention (319). While he admits that Pratchett has created a number of new protagonists and links witches of Lancre to social and literary discourses on witches rather than on heroism, all he has to say about Susan Sto-Helit is that this character interacts with discourse of fantasy hero in a complicated way, which he does not elaborate on as cannot be adequately worked out in a paragraph, or a footnote (see, therefore, note 8) (330). In order to prove that Pratchett's are indeed palimpsests, since creative process resembles original meaning of word, that is parchment, tablet, or other portion of writing material that has been used twice or three times after earlier writing has been erased (Webster's 1625), Haberkorn gives an overview of concept of hero in general and that of modern fantasy hero in particular.2 According to Haberkorn, heroes, as folk models of ideal member of a given society, embody and defend its most important values, which, understandably, change with time. He argues that Pratchett first scraped clean surface of cultural discourse on and then superimposed his own version of modern fantasy hero (323). Haberkorn traces back this figure to a small group of characters: Robert E. Howard's Conan of Cimmeria, J. R. R. Tolkien's Frodo, Aragorn, Sam, and even Gollum, and he also includes Fritz Leiber's Fafhrd and Gray Mouser among select few (333). If persistent enough, might find out from above-mentioned note 8 that his sole explanation for excluding Susan from article is that she is hardly part of this particular evolution (336). Bearing in mind fact that Susan saves world in all three novels she is featured in (Soul Music, Hogfather and Thief of Time), I would like to argue for her rightful place among Pratchett's new fantasy heroes. Her character is all more relevant as she fits Haberkorn's definition of Pratchett's palimpsests on several points, given that reinscriptions both reflect and contribute to cultural discourse on (319).3 Even a brief examination of Haberkorn's section on Heroes and Cultural Discourse reveals several archetypal elements that in form or other went into construction of Susan's character: i) the hero embodies part of social unconscious to tell society what's on its mind, ii) the hero establishes himself in external world by taking a place that is rightfully his. He steps into a rank he was meant was in fact born for, iii) the hero is an individual who, faced with a situation, deals with in a way that displays abilities a society prizes and iv) hero's adventure is one of mending self, and world: hero's adventure is of healing, for he and his world are wounded and in pain (321). Replace masculine pronouns with feminine version and these statements are all true of Susan Sto-Helit. And what can be more pertinent to Susan's self-reflexivity than this: v) heroes are not just a site of cultural discourse on heroism; they are interpreters and performers of that discourse, they help shape it, and they can change it (320).4 Haberkorn goes on to demonstrate how Pratchett first ridicules and subverts idea of modern fantasy hero via cowardly wizard, Rincewind and ancient Cohen, barbarian. On other hand, he claims that two characters who are unmistakable heirs to hero tradition and interact with hero discourse are Carrot Ironfoundersson, heir to throne of Ankh-Morpork, living in disguise, and Sam Vimes, captain of City Watch (330-2). …
Publication Year: 2015
Publication Date: 2015-01-01
Language: en
Type: article
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Cited By Count: 2
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