Sime~Gen Inc. Presents

ReReadable Books

November 2005

"C. J. Cherryh’s Destroyer and The Meaning of Peace"

Jacqueline: 

Hmmm, the meaning of peace and Cherryh's DESTROYER... from my take? 

It depends--as you noted in your excellent article-- on your definition of 'peace' and perhaps even moreso, on your cultural expectations of 'peace'. I'd hazard the North American or even Western European takes on that are different from the Far East and much of what Cherryh built in her Foreigner series with the atevi seems more predicated on the oriental philosophy than occidental. 

From my studies of Buddhist philosophy over the past several years, it seems to me that peace can be interpreted more as something personal, found within, an acceptance rather than an outward situation defined by a reigning hierarchy or status quo or domination. 

"Our life is shaped by our mind; we become what we think." --The Dhammapada, 1,2

The atevi society appears to be one designed for inner peace (ie: focus on the importance of balanced floral arrangements; the fortuitousness of numerical combinations) and at the same time, condones a continual outer conflict or change as natural. The atevi don't appear to strive for a cessation of external conflict. They accept it, regulate it (the Assassin's Guild). 

Human society, on the other hand--the New Age movements notwithstanding--seem to deem external change (and any change can be interpreted as conflict) as a threat to peace, and pay far less attention to the personal aspects. "More than those who hate you, more than all your enemies, an undisciplined mind does greater harm." --The Dhammapada, 42

I'm probably not being as clear as I could. Blame the Nyquil.

One of the key components of Cherryh's DESTROYER, for me, is watching Bren Cameron straddle the two worlds--human and atevi--and try to make sense of both. Yet the very fact that the core beliefs in both on peace vs conflict differ (as noted above) will keep him from finding balance as long as he tries to be both (human and atevi).

In DESTROYER, his resolution--without rancor--with his brother, his former lover (spoiler territory here!) and with his mother's death (that was the most difficult for him and I'm not sure it's resolved yet) are all elements showing me that Bren is now more firmly in the atevi camp; his definitions and expectations are changing. He has yet to let go of his desire to create both an external (good guys vs bad guys) peace and an internal one, but he's not as conflicted as in previous books. Honestly, I don't know if the character of Bren Cameron can ever let go of his western humanness because, let's face it, the books are being read predominantly by occidentally-oriented humans and 'character identification' still sells books. Part of Bren's charm is that he'll always be a bit of a cowboy. But I do see, as I said, his expectations changing.

Cajeiri, the young atevi prince, is Bren's compliment in many ways, experimenting with the opposing views of humans and atevi, trying both on for size, some simultaneously. I'm not normally a fan of 'kids' in books but Cajeiri works very well as a mirror for Bren.

What I've learned from the FOREIGNER series and Cherryh's current DESTROYER is that peace is where you are--mentally and spiritually--at the moment, which may have little to do with outside conflict, who's in power, who's not in charge. It's not what someone does to you, but what you do with yourself. "Do not give attention to what others do or fail to do; give it to what you do or fail to do." --The Dhammapada, 50. For a Buddhist, this is an easy concept to grasp. For most others, it's not. But to me, that's peace and that's a message I see Bren starting to learn in DESTROYER.


Om shanti,
~Linnea

Linnea Sinclair 
www.linneasinclair.com 
WINTERTIDE : Medallion Press 
Coming from Bantam/Spectra - 2005:
FINDERS KEEPERS, GABRIEL'S GHOST
AN ACCIDENTAL GODDESS