SA reads discussion

Week 2 starts today. I will post some comments soon, but I still have a few things to say in week 1, so please still follow previous week's discussion.

Chapter 6 and Saul describes the majestic geelhout tree. He attaches an extra property to this tree, as he believes it must be the "tree of all good and evil, as mentioned in Genesis in the Bible. But even this most perfect of trees in the forest must fall prey to the axes and woodcutters.

One of Saul's thoughts struck me. The forest remains a mystery. Even the forest dwellers who spend their entire lives living in the forest will never figure it out. The forest is too big, too old. It's spirit is too strong. It's magical. The human mind is too small to understand the power of nature.

Interesting that Saul describes his first encounter with a library as sounding almost like a forest! I might be taking this too far, but the tall bookshelves could be trees, and the sparse number of books might be the waning forest inhabitants? Also the duskiness that is found in the forest. And then he mentions his beloved geelhout tree forming the floor planks under his feet.

After Saul's first harvest of gold that he goes into town to sell, it be becomes apparent that Saul is becoming a threat to the rich wood buyers in town. Saul has the advantage of having spent 2 years in their surroundings and he understands how their minds work. Saul never gives the impression that he is intimidated by them. He of course, has nothing to lose. He lives for the moment and for what is fair. And he is willing to fight for what is right.