105 pages • 3 hours read
Wind and Truth
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Symbols & Motifs
“Watchers on the Rim”
The phrase “watchers on the rim” is a recurrent motif in Wind and Truth. Szeth is the first character to use the phrase when he quotes a line often spoken by Dalinar: “‘Is that not what the Radiants are?’ Szeth said. ‘Watchers on the rim, as Dalinar says? A pleasant term for an unpleasant idea—people who must kill so ordinary men and women can live peaceful lives’” (373). Although Kaladin disagrees with Szeth’s cynical interpretation of the phrase, Szeth’s statement addresses the tension inherent in the motif. The author uses the concept of “watchers on the rim” to acknowledge the sacrifices that leaders and military forces must make to protect the things they hold dear.
Throughout the novel, different characters consider the idea and assess whether or not their sacrifices as “watchers at the rim” are “worth it” (479). The motif enhances the novel’s consideration of The Importance of Personal Accountability and Choice and The Lasting Effects of Trauma; these issues gain prominence as the characters wonder at the sacrifices necessary to achieve collective well-being and decide whether they are equal to the task. In Part 10, for example, Adolin and the deadeye spren connect with the phrase, reclaiming it and accepting the challenge inherent within it. As the narrative states: “The ashspren opened her mouth and forced out a few sounds, ‘Wa…wa…tch…’ ‘Watchers,’ Adolin said, ‘at the rim.’ She nodded, and he felt her thoughts. Oaths had fallen, but she would not let him fight alone” (1231).
The Wind
From the first chapter, when Kaladin first hears the voice of the wind asking for his help, the wind gains a place as a motif in the novel, serving as a device for exploring the deep history of the cosmere and for furthering the thematic exploration of The Illusion of Absolute Right and Wrong.
As the title of the novel implies, the wind is not a mere weather phenomenon. Kaladin and Wit explicitly discuss the wind’s status as a trace of magic left behind by a now-dead god, saying, “When this world was created […] long before Honor, Cultivation, or Odium arrived, Adonalsium left something behind on it. Sometimes it is called the Old Magic […]. Listen to the wind when it speaks, Kaladin. It’s weaker than it once was but it has seen so very much” (48). The motif of the wind thus becomes an exploration of ancient wisdom: of the sense of time and memory that are inherent in the natural forces of a world. The wind urges Kaladin, Dalinar, and the Heralds along their path, urging them all to remember the past and to see with clear eyes so that they can avoid making short-sighted judgments.
Art and Music
The motif of art is wide-reaching and recurring in Wind and Truth. The novel celebrates art in the form of drawing, music, and even cooking, characterizing them all as valuable tools for expression and connection. In the context of music, this motif overlaps with the motif of the wind, for Kaladin’s flute and the ancient rhythms of Roshar are both echoes of the natural wisdom of the wind. Music is one way in which the wind’s wisdom is communicated, allowing the characters to connect with each other and to the past.
Cooking, in the form of Kaladin’s stew, is also a recurring version of art that helps to bring people together. As the narrative asserts, “The whole point of an evening stew was to draw people in, getting them to open up as they ate something unexpectedly good” (305). Throughout its iterations, the motif of art as an avenue for important, meaningful communication supports the novel’s exploration of mental health.
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By Brandon Sanderson
