Rhythm of War (9781429952040)
76. Harmony
by Sanderson, BrandonNavani struggles with guilt and failure as she attempts to communicate with the Sibling, the soul of Urithiru, through a garnet vein in the wall. Despite her heartfelt apologies, the Sibling remains silent, leaving her feeling hollow and defeated. Surrounded by unfinished experiments and notes, Navani loses motivation, seeing her efforts as futile. Her despair is compounded by the presence of Raboniel’s daughter, a silent and unsettling reminder of the Fused’s control over the tower.
Raboniel arrives, dressed in an Alethi havah tailored to her imposing frame, and offers Navani a bottle of Shin wine, revealing she has read Navani’s journals. The two engage in a tense conversation, with Raboniel reflecting on the ancient history of their conflict. She shares memories of humanity’s arrival on Roshar, hinting at the devastation caused by unchecked Surgebinding. Navani is unnerved by Raboniel’s firsthand account of events predating recorded history, emphasizing the Fused’s weariness after millennia of war.
The discussion turns to the possibility of combining Stormlight and Voidlight, a goal Raboniel is desperate to achieve. She admits her own biases and the need for Navani’s scientific insight, suggesting that the war’s outcome might hinge on this discovery. Navani, however, remains resistant, expressing her lack of interest in continuing the experiments. Raboniel challenges her, urging Navani to embrace her potential to outthink the Fused, as humans have done in past conflicts.
The chapter ends with Raboniel’s plea for Navani to reconsider, highlighting the cyclical nature of their struggle. Navani’s internal conflict mirrors the broader tension between humans and Fused, as both sides grapple with exhaustion and the desire for resolution. The exchange underscores the themes of legacy, innovation, and the weight of history, leaving Navani at a crossroads between surrender and defiance.
FAQs
1. How does Navani’s interaction with the Sibling reflect her emotional state and regrets?
Answer:
Navani’s attempt to communicate with the Sibling reveals her deep remorse and sense of failure. She apologizes sincerely, whispering, “I’m sorry… Truly,” indicating her regret for not discovering the Sibling sooner and potentially altering outcomes (p. 869-870). The faint response she senses—like a “shadow deep within the ocean”—mirrors her own feelings of emptiness and missed opportunities. This moment underscores her despair, as she views her earlier efforts as a “sham” and questions the purpose of continuing her work. The Sibling’s silence amplifies her isolation and self-blame, reinforcing the chapter’s themes of loss and unresolved connection.
2. Analyze Raboniel’s perspective on the human-singer conflict. How does her historical account challenge traditional narratives?
Answer:
Raboniel provides a primordial singer perspective on humanity’s arrival, describing burned refugees and livestock—a stark contrast to human historical records (p. 870-871). Her grandmother’s account frames humans as destructive Surgebinders who triggered ecological and social upheaval, complicating the typical “invader” narrative. Raboniel’s weariness with the 7,000-year war humanizes her, revealing shared fatigue with the Heralds. Her admission that singers often struggled to “catch up” to human innovation undermines assumptions of Fused superiority, highlighting cyclical violence rather than inherent opposition. This reframing invites critical reflection on historiography and entrenched biases in the conflict.
3. What symbolic significance does Raboniel’s Alethi havah hold, and how does it relate to broader themes in the chapter?
Answer:
Raboniel’s tailored havah represents cultural assimilation and power dynamics (p. 870). The dress’s expert fit for her singer physiology—emphasizing height and poise rather than traditional femininity—mirrors her ability to redefine systems (like the war) to her purpose. Navani notes Adolin would approve, subtly connecting to themes of artistry and perception. The havah also symbolizes Raboniel’s intimate knowledge of human culture (having read Navani’s journals), paralleling how both women navigate borrowed traditions. This sartorial detail underscores the chapter’s exploration of duality—harmony and opposition, ownership and adaptation—in their fraught relationship.
4. How does Raboniel’s approach to Navani shift in this chapter, and what strategic purpose might this serve?
Answer:
Raboniel transitions from captor to confidant, employing psychological tactics (p. 870-871). By bringing Navani’s favorite wine and referencing her journals, she creates false intimacy while demonstrating surveillance capabilities. Her vulnerable monologue about war-weariness and self-doubt (“I forget to question”) mirrors Navani’s despair, fostering shared vulnerability. Yet this serves her agenda: she frames their scientific rivalry as Navani’s last chance to “defeat” the Fused intellectually, reigniting her prisoner’s motivation. This manipulation reveals Raboniel’s understanding of human resilience—she provokes Navani’s ingenuity even while imprisoning her, ensuring continued research into Light hybridization.
5. Evaluate the significance of the “garnet vein” as a metaphor in this chapter.
Answer:
The garnet vein embodies hidden potential and overlooked truths (p. 869). Navani reflects that it was “in plain sight” but dismissed as mundane—a parallel to how Urithiru’s soul (the Sibling) was always present but unrecognized. The vein’s crystalline structure also symbolizes fragility and endurance, much like Navani’s resolve. Its embedded placement in stone mirrors how hope persists despite her “barren” emotional state. Later, Raboniel’s wine—another “infused” substance—echoes this imagery, linking geological and liquid vessels of meaning. Together, these motifs explore perception: what is deemed ordinary (veins, wine, war) may hold transformative power if reexamined.
Quotes
1. “Such skills, like my honor itself, are now lost to time. Weathered away, crushed to dust, and scattered to the ends of the cosmere. I am a barren tree of a human being. I am the hollow that once was a mighty peak.”
This introspective lament opens the chapter, establishing themes of loss, regret, and the erosion of identity over time. The poetic imagery powerfully conveys a sense of profound personal and historical decay.
2. “She felt something, faint as the movement of a shadow deep within the ocean. No words came.”
This describes Navani’s fleeting connection with the Sibling, capturing the fragile, almost imperceptible nature of their communication. The oceanic metaphor emphasizes both depth and elusiveness in their relationship.
3. “I don’t think you can comprehend how tired I am of this war, Navani. How tired all of us are. Your Heralds too.”
Raboniel’s weary confession reveals the central tension of the chapter - the exhaustion of an eternal conflict. This humanizes the ancient Fused while underscoring the cyclical nature of the war that defines their world.
4. “We hear the rhythms, we understand Roshar and the spren. But the rhythms don’t change. The spren don’t…”
This incomplete thought (cut off in the text) represents Raboniel’s crucial insight about stagnation versus human innovation. It suggests the Fused may be constrained by their deep connection to Roshar’s natural order, while humans adapt and evolve.