Lois’s answer to “Hello again! I have a question about Ivan. I seem to recall reading somewhere that your character…” > Likes and Comments
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I can say (from personal experience, unfortunately) that it's very easy to be defined by your youthful misadventures in the minds of your family - some people taking decades to update their idea of you based on your present state (if they ever do). So it makes sense that everyone continues to think of Ivan that way.
@ Kate --
Exactly. It was done to me, and I probably do it to my kids. So, write what you know, I guess.
L
It is always seemed to me that while Ivan has spent his life surrounded by adrenaline addicts and extremely driven people his ambition has always been just to be happy. Therefore it was difficult for Ivan's “family" to understand him given that they had decided to sacrifice so much of their happiness to feed their ambitions.
I've always loved an earlier quote from you about how Ivan had "hidden shallows". In CVA, we get the impression that at least nowadays, he's somewhat deliberately Not Standing Out, in order to further quash any political plots with him as the unwilling focus.
@Lois One of the most famous characters in Russian fairytales is Ivan-durak (Ivan-the-idiot), who is originally perceived as dim-witted and lazy, but turns out to be clever and resourceful. Is there any connection to Ivan Vorpatril? :)
What Richard says above about how Ivan's ambition is simply to be happy goes a long way toward explaining why and how he appeals so much to Tej in CVA; her problem with her own family is so similar!
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Kate
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Mar 05, 2022 10:37AM
I can say (from personal experience, unfortunately) that it's very easy to be defined by your youthful misadventures in the minds of your family - some people taking decades to update their idea of you based on your present state (if they ever do). So it makes sense that everyone continues to think of Ivan that way.
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@ Kate --Exactly. It was done to me, and I probably do it to my kids. So, write what you know, I guess.
L
It is always seemed to me that while Ivan has spent his life surrounded by adrenaline addicts and extremely driven people his ambition has always been just to be happy. Therefore it was difficult for Ivan's “family" to understand him given that they had decided to sacrifice so much of their happiness to feed their ambitions.
I've always loved an earlier quote from you about how Ivan had "hidden shallows". In CVA, we get the impression that at least nowadays, he's somewhat deliberately Not Standing Out, in order to further quash any political plots with him as the unwilling focus.
@Lois One of the most famous characters in Russian fairytales is Ivan-durak (Ivan-the-idiot), who is originally perceived as dim-witted and lazy, but turns out to be clever and resourceful. Is there any connection to Ivan Vorpatril? :)
What Richard says above about how Ivan's ambition is simply to be happy goes a long way toward explaining why and how he appeals so much to Tej in CVA; her problem with her own family is so similar!
