The Great Hunt by: Robert Jordan: Trauma and Egwene al'Vere Part 2 (Chapters 41 to 43)

 

“If she could have probed with the One Power, she would have, but Renna would have known that immediately.  As the bracelet closed around Renna’s wrist a look came onto the sul’dam’s face that made Egwene’s heart sink.  “You have been channeling.” Renna’s voice was deceptively mild; there was a spark of anger in her eyes.  “You know that is forbidden except when we are complete.”  Egwene wet her lips.  “Perhaps I have been too lenient with you.  Perhaps you believe that because you are valuable now, you will be allowed license.  I think I made a mistake in letting you keep your own name.  I had a kitten called Tuli when I was a child.  From now on, your name is Tuli.  You will go now, Min.  Your visiting day with Tuli is ended.”” – The Great Hunt, p. 600-601.

 

And with that Egwene al’Vere has lost her name.  She has been stripped of what has made her, her, and has now become simply an object for Renna to control.  Now much of this section is Nynaeve, Elayne, and Min hiring Bayle Domon to try and save Egwene, and that entire chapter is important in seeing the trauma and punishment from the outside, being from Min’s point of view.  Min hears the terrifying screams and has to dig her nails into her palms to stop her from turning around, already showing there’s that bond between these women.  Egwene is already trying to find her own resistance, but the renaming, and being renamed after a cat, puts her right in what Renna sees as her place.  Egwene’s trauma is something which she still has to escape from, as we are getting right close to the climax of The Great Hunt and her capture and escape is quickly becoming the thrust.  She has slowly been losing herself and the idea that she is a pet is one where she will be further brutalized.  She is losing a lot of what has made her, her.  The idea that there has been leniency with Egwene is also interesting, as she has been given basically only a taste of being free, something that is stripped away at the first opportunity.  There isn’t something from Renna’s perspective, but this is all a calculated move.  This is planned to make Egwene lose whatever she has.  There are points where Egwene is losing who she could be.

 

While Rand and company don’t actually know Egwene is in danger, their rush towards Tomon Head is used to increase the danger.  They are travelling through the storm and while Rand is being tempted to use saidin again while Verin knows the danger of the Seanchan.  Rand is troubled by visions where Ba’alzamon, yes he’s been popping up in this book again as he isn’t dead, and he has been trying to burn Rand.  This actually is what gets Rand to channel saidin once more in this section, and while it doesn’t get followed up upon, there is the implication that the Seanchan will know.  Nynaeve is also the one who is able to get things together to go and save Egwene, while that doesn’t actually happen, it’s important to know that she understands just the danger is there and the means are being made.  This is the rush to Tomon Head while Egwene endures what can essentially break her.  The end is imminent.