As a teenager I participated in what many people would think the nerdiest of nerdy activities. I role-played. Not like what you’d find at a sales training course or in drama class. No, this was the parent-feared Dungeons and Dragons style of role-playing (frightened gasps). I enjoyed it. When I was role-playing I was with my friends having a good time. It was also a whole lot safer than trying to get to know girls as well as a better way to use my imagination than coming up with the newest prank or crazy stunt.
Since that time I’ve started to expand my interests and try new things. However, I haven’t stopped enjoying fantasy books. From the Dungeons and Dragons multiverse I was introduced to the world of Forgotten Realms, a place full of magic, wonder and adventure. Forgotten Realms is also a world that many authors have used as the setting for their books. A friend recommended to me to a series of books written about a character that many fantasy readers know and love: Drizzt Do’Urden. Drizzt is a good hearted warrior whose unfortunate ancestry is drow elf, a race known for its choatic cruelty and merciless mannerisms. He leaves his deep underground home to escape his heritage and wanders a land full of prejudice and danger. Many are the books that describe his journeys, The Two Swords being the last of them. Throughout the books we get a look into what I imagine is Drizzt’s journal or personal musings. I think that perhaps these musings are why I like these books so much.
In The Two Swords Drizzt is basically on his own fighting behind enemy lines to help in whatever way he can to support his friends who are under siege from a huge army of orcs. During one of the interludes or musings Drizzt discusses Guilt and Responsibility.
Drizzt and his companions eventually win the day and all ends well. And, just like the rest of the Drizzt stories, I closed the book and excited to read more. Rumor has it that there will be. During an interview the author he said he had something in the works (http://www.rasalvatore.com/podcasts.aspx?selection=0). If I peaked your interest and you like fantasy books I highly recommend any of R. A. Salvatore’s books. I haven’t read all of them but those I have are well written and very entertaining. There you have it folks: R. A. Salvatore’s book The Two Swords.
Since that time I’ve started to expand my interests and try new things. However, I haven’t stopped enjoying fantasy books. From the Dungeons and Dragons multiverse I was introduced to the world of Forgotten Realms, a place full of magic, wonder and adventure. Forgotten Realms is also a world that many authors have used as the setting for their books. A friend recommended to me to a series of books written about a character that many fantasy readers know and love: Drizzt Do’Urden. Drizzt is a good hearted warrior whose unfortunate ancestry is drow elf, a race known for its choatic cruelty and merciless mannerisms. He leaves his deep underground home to escape his heritage and wanders a land full of prejudice and danger. Many are the books that describe his journeys, The Two Swords being the last of them. Throughout the books we get a look into what I imagine is Drizzt’s journal or personal musings. I think that perhaps these musings are why I like these books so much.
In The Two Swords Drizzt is basically on his own fighting behind enemy lines to help in whatever way he can to support his friends who are under siege from a huge army of orcs. During one of the interludes or musings Drizzt discusses Guilt and Responsibility.
Guilt.How great is that? Here I am reading a book that has a fun story and great action and I get a profound tidbit that I can use to make my life better. And what I believe R. A. Salvatore, the author, is trying to say is that to really understand right and wrong and appropriate behavior we have to get past our own selfishness. We must rise to a level that transcends independence and move towards interdependence. We see this fact in our everyday lives. Families, commerce, nations – these all need strong communities to survive. If that community does not survive then neither do we. Now even if guilt isn’t the driving force behind responsibility it is a good start, only if it is just that, a start. How can we move from guilt to the “understanding of community, friendship, and loyalty?” I’ll leave that up to you to figure out. I just hope that we all figure it out because our world needs it.
Is is the easiest of feelings to conjure and the most insidious. It is rooted in the selfishness of individuality, though for goodly folks, it usually finds its source in the suffering of others.
What I understand now, as never before, is that guilt is not the driving force behind responsibility. If we act in a goodly way because we are afraid of how we will feel if we do not, then we have not truly come to separate the concept of right and wrong. For there is a level above that, an understanding of community, friendship, and loyalty. I do not choose to stand beside Breunor or any other friend to alleviate guilt. I do so because in that, and in their reciprocal friendship, we are both the stronger and the better. Our lives become worth so much more.
Drizzt and his companions eventually win the day and all ends well. And, just like the rest of the Drizzt stories, I closed the book and excited to read more. Rumor has it that there will be. During an interview the author he said he had something in the works (http://www.rasalvatore.com/podcasts.aspx?selection=0). If I peaked your interest and you like fantasy books I highly recommend any of R. A. Salvatore’s books. I haven’t read all of them but those I have are well written and very entertaining. There you have it folks: R. A. Salvatore’s book The Two Swords.
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