Open Prompt (Oct. 2, 2011) Revised

2010, Form B. “You can leave home all you want, but home will never leave you.” —Sonsyrea Tate

Sonsyrea Tate’s statement suggests that “home” may be conceived of as a dwelling, a place, or a state of mind. It may have positive or negative associations, but in either case, it may have a considerable influence on an individual. Choose a novel or play in which a central character leaves home yet finds that home remains significant. Write a well-developed essay in which you analyze the importance of “home” to this character and the reasons for its continuing influence. Explain how the character’s idea of home illuminates the larger meaning of the work. Do not merely summarize the plot.

          "Home sweet home". Ah, the cherished memories of childhood that stay with us for a lifetime. The Eragon series, written by Christopher Paolini, is one of many novels where a character is distanced from his “home”, a place that serves as a base to drive his future into unseen territory. For Eragon, the protagonist in the novels, the image of home arouses feelings of revenge and debt to be paid, pointing towards its continuing influence as a symbol of future solace from hardships and his continued persistence towards fulfilling his responsibilities.

          As the Razac, foul creatures in servitude of the antagonistic king, have killed Garrow, Eragon's uncle, Eragon's home serves to remind him of the pain that was inflicted upon him and the revenge that he must seek for his uncle's death. Paolini conveys this in the first novel through the image of Eragon's burning home to imprint the ashes of his past into his mind as constant reminders of compensation through blood lust. Rather than the usual positive connotation of a cherished home, Eragon is reminded of his past life in a house where he obtained a burning passion to “get even” with the Razac for ruining his family and leaving him with no other option but to flee with shame in his eyes.

          Apart from revenge, Eragon's old home harbors his debt to his cousin, Roran, who resents Eragon for bringing misery upon his own relatives solely for protecting Saphira, Eragon's dragon. When Roran sees Eragon for the first time since Garrow's death and says "We need to talk", Eragon is left in fear of facing his fate and informing Roran of his reasons for abandoning Garrow. This whole scene refers to the debt Eragon owes to Roran and Garrow for bringing sorrow and separation to their small, close-knit family. He holds himself responsible for causing the demolition of their "home sweet home" and breaking his cousin down emotionally with no one to look up to.

          Paolini portrays these two instances in the novel to culminate Eragon's feelings when he thinks of "home" into a longing for personal fulfillment through offering solace to Roran and asking for his forgiveness. The power of the evil king that destroyed his family serves as a consistent reminder to Eragon to assume his new powers and responsibilities in order to free this land of a madman's whims and let prosperity resume so that young men like him no longer have to leave their homes and look back in the past to remember nothing but pain and suffering. Eragon's past gives rise to his optimistic dreams and drives his passion towards continuing his arduous journey and achieving success for the betterment of society. Through this fantastical representation, where a farm boy’s fate influences the balance of the whole world, Paolini showcases a how the intricacies of destiny can alter a person’s perception of his home and his life further along the path of time.