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Post by manaliabrid on Dec 2, 2013 22:36:05 GMT
So, everyone who reads Fire and Hemlock has their own interpretation of the ending (I feel like I've read dozens). Each time I read the ending, i feel like I'm the slightest bit closer to grasping it, but I'm still not there. Since we have a mass of Diana Wynne Jones fans here, I think that all together we can figure out what's going on with the ending better than just thinking about it on our own. So, here's a thread to discuss ending interpretations. I don't have a copy of the book at the moment, but here are some thoughts to start with: -Charles Lynn is Thomas Lynn's brother (It took me until my second time through to get that!) -Charles was meant to be Laurel's sacrifice, but he made a deal in which Tom was to be the sacrifice instead. -This has something to do with the fire and hemlock picture, which Thomas took but Charles developed -If Thomas wasn't sacrificed, who was? Seb? Mr. Leroy? Both? -Laurel will need another sacrifice in nine years, right? She wasn't defeated permanently, was she? -Will Leslie be sacrificed in nine years, unless he can find a way out like Tom did? I always thought he would be, but maybe I'm just pessimistic.
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Post by penigriffin on Dec 2, 2013 23:44:42 GMT
The point of sacrificing Tom is to keep from having to sacrifice Laurel's consort. (This is probably clearer if you've already read The Golden Bough before you read the book. Which is nothing to be done lightly. It took me two years to read that thing.) So Mr. Leroy is toast unless he throws somebody else to the wolves on short notice - not a likely outcome, since sacrifices require certain specific characteristics and probably a certain amount of prep.
Nothing in the story will dismantle Laurel's power structure, so a new consort and a new sacrifice (but they could both be the same person in a pinch) will be necessary. From Laurel's point of view this is mostly a frustrating and humiliating incident; unless we assume she loves Mr. Leroy. Which I doubt. Anyway, the identity of the next consort/sacrifice is not fixed at the time Polly and Tom walk away.
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Post by manaliabrid on Dec 3, 2013 1:46:30 GMT
Yeah, I figured Mr. Leroy was definitely done for, but Seb obviously seemed terrified for his life, so I felt like he was also at risk of being sacrificed, if you see what I mean. I figured that, because Laurel seemed to be already grooming Leslie, he was the obvious choice for the next sacrifice.
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Post by penigriffin on Dec 3, 2013 3:40:46 GMT
I'd be terrified if I were Seb, too! He'd be afraid for his father; and afraid of being sacrificed in his father's place; and afraid of being pegged as the next consort if his father has to meet the sacrifice. That is way too many terrifying outcomes!
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