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Post by devilinthedetails on Oct 22, 2020 10:21:36 GMT 10
Title: Trained Not to Hear
Rating: PG-13 for bigotry and racism.
Word Count: 21
Summary: Zahir trains himself not to hear the scornful northern whispers.
Trained Not to Hear
Zahir trained himself not to hear the scornful northern whispers of “sand scut” when he strode by, nose in the air.
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Post by mistrali on Oct 22, 2020 13:08:43 GMT 10
Ouch! Nice mix of pride and hurt here, just perfect for Zahir’s personality.
Of course, it seems likely that this racism is part of what propelled Zahir to join Joren & co. Which adds further to our discussion of yesterday about Tortallans’ cultural blindspot and their often active discrimination/racism against the Bazhir. Racism often perpetuates more bullying, often from the victims themselves. If Zahir hadn’t had the decency/common sense to leave off hazing, we might have seen him become as vindictive as Joren and Vinson — another way in which the Tortallans’ intolerance hurts them, in the end.
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Post by devilinthedetails on Oct 22, 2020 22:55:04 GMT 10
mistrali, thank you so much for commenting! My heart did break for Zahir having to experience this bigotry and racism. I definitely picture Zahir's character as being shaped by a complex mixture of pride and hurt as you say and it makes me so happy that you felt I captured that mixture perfectly here. My headcanon is definitely that it was this sort of racism that drove Zahir to join Joren and company as well as motivated him to partake in the page wing bullying. I think as a visible member of a marginalized group, Zahir was vulnerable to being bullied and discriminated and he likely channeled those feelings of anger and resentment into abusing the younger pages. And with Kel's arrival in the pages' wing, there is someone who is arguably even more out of place in this white male dominated world of knighthood training that he can really pick on. I suspect that finally finding someone who might be even more of an outsider than him in the pages' wing might have been what motivated him to target Kel for extra doses of nastiness. So I do think in a way that the racism and discrimination Zahir received turned him into a bully and that he probably wouldn't have been a bully without it so as you say the intolerance of Tortallans circles around to hurt them and perpetuate a cycle of general unpleasantness for everyone. It is a mark in Zahir's favor I think that he chooses to lay off the hazing as he matures unlike Joren or Vinson.
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Hopeless
Standard Bearer
Faleron Fan
I used to be Kel of King’s Reach. Then I decided hopeless was more accurate.
Posts: 234
Gender: Female
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Post by Hopeless on Oct 25, 2020 23:27:45 GMT 10
I really like Zahir in this because there are definitely 2 sides to him and To me one of the important parts in page is where he basically says grow up joren, Garvey and vinson
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Post by devilinthedetails on Oct 26, 2020 1:01:08 GMT 10
Thank you so much for commenting! I'm so happy that you really like my portrayal of Zahir in this fic because to me from the glimpses that we do get of him in canon he does seem to be a complex character capable of contradictions and of growth (which often isn't seen in minor characters, so it is nice that Zahir is a minor character who gets some growth in terms of arriving at a place where he rejects bullying as immature and unworthy of a true warrior). I do think it is an important part in Page as you say when he walks away from Joren, Garvey, and Vinson, telling them to let him know when they've grown up. I was definitely cheering for Zahir in that moment. And I also didn't expect it from any of Joren's circle so it got me thinking about Zahir's character, his values, and what generally made him tick in a different way than any of Joren's other friends.
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