The Obelisk Gate
Chapter 15: Nassun, in rejection
by Jemisin, N.K.The chapter opens with Nassun reflecting on her childhood memories, dominated by vivid colors, as she sits in the Antarctic Fulcrum with Schaffa and Umber. They are meeting with three senior orogenes, who wear black uniforms reminiscent of Imperial Orogenes. Nassun observes their discomfort and fear, particularly focusing on Serpentine, whose shaky hands and whining tone remind her of her mother’s duplicity. The seniors explain their struggles with resource shortages and their decision to house unparented children and refugees, though their forced politeness and underlying tension unsettle Nassun.
Schaffa and Umber’s reactions reveal their disapproval of the Fulcrum’s operations during the Season, a time when orogenes are expected to self-terminate to conserve resources. Nassun notices the seniors’ defensiveness as they justify their survival strategies, such as trading with local communities and mitigating seismic activity. The six-ringed orogene, who resembles Nassun’s mother, challenges Schaffa directly, questioning the authority behind Seasonal Law. The exchange highlights the tension between the Fulcrum’s independence and the Guardians’ traditional control over orogenes.
The discussion turns darker as Schaffa clarifies the grim protocol: orogenes are expected to die during a Season to prioritize “normal” people’s survival. Nassun is shocked by this revelation, and Serpentine taunts Schaffa about her discomfort. Schaffa defends Nassun, emphasizing his transparency with her, which strengthens her loyalty. The seniors argue that their self-sufficiency and contributions to the Antarctic comms make them exceptions to the rule, but Umber subtly implies their actions defy Guardian oversight. The power struggle between the two groups becomes increasingly apparent.
The chapter concludes with Serpentine asserting the Antarctic Fulcrum’s autonomy, noting its small size and lack of permanent Guardians. The seniors’ defiance and resourcefulness contrast sharply with the Guardians’ expectations, leaving Nassun to grapple with the moral implications of orogene survival. The encounter deepens her understanding of her mother’s complexities and the systemic oppression faced by orogenes, setting the stage for her growing disillusionment with the Fulcrum’s hierarchy.
FAQs
1. How does Nassun’s perception of the Antarctic Fulcrum seniors reflect her unresolved feelings toward her mother?
Answer:
Nassun’s discomfort with the Fulcrum seniors stems from their performative courtesy and underlying fear, which mirrors her mother’s dual nature—public kindness masking private coldness. The chapter notes how the seniors’ “falseness” reminds Nassun of her mother’s facade, triggering visceral reactions (“teeth and palms and sessapinae itch”). This parallel highlights Nassun’s lingering trauma and her growing awareness of systemic hypocrisy, as she recognizes similar patterns of control and pretense in both personal and institutional dynamics. The six-ringed woman’s demeanor, evoking her mother’s “diamond obstinacy,” further reinforces this connection.
2. Why is the Antarctic Fulcrum’s operational independence during the Season considered problematic by the Guardians?
Answer:
The Guardians view the Fulcrum’s self-sufficiency as a violation of protocol, which mandates that orogenes either submit to Guardian supervision or face extermination during a Season. Schaffa explicitly states that orogenes are expected to “remove themselves from the competition for resources” to prioritize non-orogenic survival. The Fulcrum’s defiance—providing aid, trading with comms, and housing refugees—challenges the Guardians’ authority and the Empire’s ideology that frames orogenes as expendable. Umber’s remark about making themselves “invaluable” underscores their transgression: they’ve disrupted the hierarchy by proving orogenes’ worth beyond subjugation.
3. Analyze the significance of Schaffa’s refusal to drink the safe and Nassun’s subsequent mimicry of his behavior.
Answer:
Schaffa’s untouched cup of safe signals distrust, subtly revealing the meeting’s adversarial undertones. Nassun, though initially tempted by the rare treat, mirrors his caution, demonstrating her reliance on him as a moral compass. This moment reflects her growing discernment and the chapter’s broader theme of latent threats masked by hospitality. The safe—a symbol of communal trust—becomes a test of allegiance, with its rejection hinting at the Guardians’ awareness of the Fulcrum’s unspoken resistance. Nassun’s choice to align with Schaffa also reinforces their bond, contrasting her rejection of maternal figures like the seniors.
4. How does the chapter use Serpentine’s dialogue to critique systemic oppression of orogenes?
Answer:
Serpentine’s whining about logistical challenges (“no new grits coming in”) juxtaposed with her veiled fear of the Guardians exposes the Fulcrum’s precarious autonomy. Her justification for housing refugees—framed as pragmatism—ironically highlights the system’s cruelty: orogenes must “earn” survival through utility, unlike “normal” people. The Guardians’ dismissal of their mitigation of Rifting aftershocks further illustrates how the Empire devalues orogenic labor unless controlled. Serpentine’s trembling hands and forced smiles embody the stress of navigating oppression while maintaining a facade of compliance.
5. What does the confrontation reveal about the power dynamics between Guardians and orogenes in the Antarctic Fulcrum?
Answer:
The Antarctic Fulcrum represents a rare space where orogenes wield limited agency, as seen in their defiance of Seasonal Law and pragmatic alliances with comms. However, the Guardians’ arrival reasserts imperial dominance: Schaffa’s pointed questions and Umber’s icy silence pressure the seniors to justify their existence. The tension culminates in Serpentine’s defiant reminder—”This is Antarctic”—implying regional resistance to centralized control. Yet the underlying threat (mass suicide protocols) looms, underscoring that even this autonomy is fragile. The dynamic mirrors Nassun’s internal struggle between submission and self-determination.
Quotes
1. “WHAT I REMEMBER OF MY youth is color. Greenness everywhere. White iridescence. Deep and vital reds. These particular colors linger in my memory, when so much of the rest is thin and pale and nearly gone. There is a reason for that.”
This opening passage establishes Nassun’s reflective tone and hints at the trauma underlying her memories. The vivid sensory imagery contrasts with the fading recollections, foreshadowing the chapter’s exploration of painful truths.
2. “Thinking of the Antarctic Fulcrum as a place populated by endless variants of her mother makes Nassun’s teeth and palms and sessapinae itch.”
This quote reveals Nassun’s visceral reaction to the hypocrisy she perceives in the Fulcrum seniors, drawing a direct parallel to her fraught relationship with her mother. The physical description of discomfort powerfully conveys emotional distress.
3. “Historically, the Fulcrum has survived on the sufferance of its neighbors… there is most certainly an expectation that Imperial Orogenes will remove themselves from the competition for resources—so that normal, healthy people have a better chance to survive.”
Schaffa’s chilling explanation reveals the brutal reality of orogene existence during Seasons. This institutionalized discrimination forms a core conflict in the chapter, exposing the dehumanizing logic behind the Fulcrum’s protocols.
4. “We are the Fulcrum, Guardian… And we are self-sufficient. Quite apart from being a drain on resources, we provide needed services to the nearby communities.”
The unnamed senior’s defiant statement represents the Antarctic Fulcrum’s rebellion against traditional power structures. This challenges the Guardians’ authority and introduces the theme of orogenes reclaiming agency over their lives and value to society.