In a spice-laced dream Paul had before awakening to his first test as a wormrider, he recalled a Bene Gesserit proverb that his mother had told him:
When religion and politics travel in the same cart, the riders believe that nothing can stand in their way. Their movement becomes headlong -- faster and faster and faster. They put aside all obstacles and forget that a precipice does not show itself to a man in a blind rush until it's too late.
(Dune, 40th Anniversary Edition, p. 372)
Rings true for me. Can certainly picture some present day politicians riding with religion in their cart riding headlong thinking that right and might are on their side!
Then a few pages later, as Paul and the Fremen troop that accompanied him was preparing for the wormrider test, he recalled some advice from his father:
"Give as few orders as possible," his father had told him ... once long ago. "Once you have given orders on a subject, you must always give orders on that subject." (Dune, 40th Anniversary Edition, p. 377)
Such good advice for a leader of any kind. I need to remember this when at work. I think I am pretty good at letting things be unless it requires my intervention but I should be more mindful.
For the following quote, I just liked the way it sounded. It highlighted for me how we wear who we are like clothes. Paul was considering a captive Sardaukar and what, exactly, to do with him.
Anger and confusion were betrayed in his manner, but still there was that pride about him without which a Sardaukar appeared undressed -- and with which he could appear fully clothed though naked.
(Dune, 40th Anniversary Edition, p. 407)
Some more good, simple advice can be found coming from Jessica's mouth to her son. But this is rare advice for the Bene Gesserit to be giving to her child. She says "choose the course of happiness" (Dune, 40th Anniversary Edition, p. 420). She actually tells Paul to marry Chani if that is what he wants! A shocker since Chani is not noble born and Jessica had fully understood the role she herself played as concubine to the Duke. She says this after Paul convinces Gurney that she was not the betrayer by giving a heart felt speech about the true love his parents shared. She was overcome with emotion and grief for the lost love.
So that's it for some good advice for now. I will end this entry with an odd statement by Paul after he awoke from weeks of being in a sort of coma from drinking the Water of Life. I am not sure I fully appreciate or understand the statement so if anyone has input, please put in.
Paul said: "There is in each of us an ancient force that takes and an ancient force that gives. A man finds little difficulty in facing that place within himself where the taking force dwells, but it's almost impossible for him to see into the giving force without changing into something other than man. For a woman, the situation is reversed." ... "The greatest peril to the Giver is the force that takes. The greatest peril to the Taker is the force that gives. It's as easy to be overwhelmed by giving as by taking."
(Dune, 40th Anniversary Edition, p. 431)
No comments:
Post a Comment