The Crystal Cave Essay, Research Paper

If the name Merlin were spoken, many would instantly link the name to the legendary prestidigitator that served King Arthur. Many fluctuations of this legendary prestidigitator have been passed down through the ages, but merely one makes the reader connect with Merlin as a adult male and non merely a magician. In the book The Crystal Cave Mary Stewart makes the reader see that Merlin is non merely a magician, he is first and foremost a adult male. Throughout the book the writer sucks the reader in to the life of this adult male, and utilizing imagination and word picture makes him experience that he is really there watching the life of Merlin unravel.

From the really first page of The Crystal Cave the reader is transported into the book with the usage of imagination ; Mary Stewart about forces him to link with the characters and the milieus of this book. ? With the coming of the twilight the rain stopped, but a mist had risen, crawling knee-high through the trees so that they stood similar shades, and the graze Equus caballus floated like a swan. ? ( The Crystal Cave pg. 2 ) Mary Stewart describes this scene so good that the reader can really see the mist lifting up the trees and into the forest. When depicting the battle scenes where Ambrosius, Merlin? s male parent, is seeking to derive the rubric of High King, she uses adequate item to acquire the point across, without doing the scene gory and bloody as so many things are in today? s universe. ? Everywhere work forces were contending in little groups, or even singly and manus to manus. The noise, the clang and cheering, even the odor of perspiration and blood mingled? ( Crystal Cave pg.373. ) The reader can about smell the perspiration and blood mingling on the battleground, like being there without the danger. In this fresh Stewart besides mixes together imagination and word picture when she is demoing the reader what Merlin sees in the crystal cave when he foremost learns he has the? sight? . This is the beginning of the writer? s test to acquire the reader inside the encephalon of Merlin as he begins to utilize his power. ? Though the topographic point was cold, the work forces worked bare save for breechcloths, and the perspiration ran over their dorsums as they hacked over the rock-face, steady ceaseless tapping blows that? s made no noise, but you could see the musculuss clinch and jar under the torch lit sweat. ? ( Crystal Cave pg 66 ) The reader is put inside of Merlin? s encephalon, seeing what he sees, what he thinks, and how he responds to the reaction of others toward him.

Throughout this fresh Mary Stewart helps the reader connect with Merlin by word picture. She presents his actions, words, ideas, and feelings as a manner for the reader to see what is truly traveling on behind the mask of this legendary prestidigitator. The visions that Merlin has are so clearly rep

resented to the reader that he is inside Merlin? s caput as they are traveling on. ? The bull whirled, and charged once more. The adult male waited without traveling, his pess planted somewhat apart, his position casual, about contemptuous. As the bull reached him he seemed to rock aside, lightly, like a terpsichorean. The bull went by him so near that I saw a horn lance the twirling cloak? ( Crystal Cave pg.142 ) The reader begins to see the true power Merlin has, non that as a enchantment caster, but that of a prophesier. Although Merlin has power, he is non chesty, he lives twenty-four hours to twenty-four hours as a adult male. He thinks non himself better than most work forces, but equal. In the case of his male parent Ambrious or his uncle Uther, Merlin treats them with regard stating them that whenever they needed him he would be at that place. In the visible radiation of his male parent? s decease Merlin makes a vow to himself and others, ? I will adorn his grave with nil less so the visible radiation itself. ? ( Crystal Cave pg. 442 ) The reader is shown here that Merlin had great regard for his male parent, and even though it was deemed impossible by others he made his vow go a world. The manner other reacted toward Merlin and his power is a large portion of this narrative, throughout this novel the reader can see the alterations of attitude toward Merlin as he grows. The immature Merlin was thought of as a? asshole? because he had no male parent. ? . Keep your asshole out of my sight! Now that your brother? s place, we? ll find a adult male that will take the brace of you from under my feet. ? ( Crystal Cave pg.7 ) Merlin is invariably ridiculed for what he had no control over, but he doesn? T attention, he likes to be entirely and in the darkness. As Merlin grows older the attitudes toward him change as he begins to utilize his power. Peoples as a whole Begin to coerce him to state them their lucks, hereafters, etc. Ambrosius is one of the many, ? What do you see in the fire, Merlin the prophesier? ? ? Nothing but dead work forces roasting. ? ? Then expression and see something for me, Merlin. Where has Octa gone? ( Crystal Cave pg.379 ) Merlin? s power does non come on bid and few recognize this fact, and so Merlin is invariably pushed to see into the hereafter, though he can non on will. The word picture of this character makes the reader realize Merlin is so much more than a adult male of power, he is a adult male with ideas, and feelings besides.

The fable of the great Merlin has been known through the ages by many, but what those narratives do non portion with us is that Merlin is more than a prestidigitator he is a adult male, besides. Mary Stewart uses imagination and word picture to do the narrative come alive in the reader? s head as if they are really at that place with Merlin as he sees, thinks, and acts throughout this novel. The Crystal Cave is an exciting, concentrating novel that will be remembered for old ages to come.

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