Author--Sonia Levitin
Pages read: 133 - 162
Book--Roanoke: a Novel of the Lost Colony
Author--Sonia Levitin
Pages read: 162 - 190
Floundering (v): To struggle clumsily.
This word was used in the story to describe William's struggle with what to say or what to do in the colonies with so many new people and so many old faces. This word is important to the story because it summarizes the colony of Roanoke and what it is facing right now and it shows how the savages, or Native Americans, were struggling to have good relationships with the colony of Roanoke and how the English colonies were always struggling.
Jim Knee, or the jinnee, is very grumpy with Septimus and his friends and only reluctantly does what he says. I think he is going to turn on them even though he is obliged to do whatever Septimus says, and that he will be the factor that lead to their downfall. You can see that Jim Knee does not enjoy being Septimus's jinnee when the narrator says, "Jim Knee looked extremely grumpy. After a long pause he answered reluctantly, 'Jim Knee,' and then added, 'Oh Clever One.'" (Sage 521). Another instance is when, "If his Master insisted that he become a giant turtle, then a giant turtle he had to become. But it didn't stop the jinnee from bargaining. 'I'll do it for ten minutes, no longer, Oh Wearisome One,' he said...'No more than twenty minutes, I pray you, Oh Pitiless One,' Jim Knee wheedled....'Very well, Oh Ruthless One,' said Jim Knee gloomily." (Sage 540) and another time it is discovered just how much respect Jim Knee had for his master, "The jinnee had more respect for a decomposing tentacle than he did for his Master." (Sage 547) From all of these instances, it is not hard to guess that Jim Knee did not have very much liking for his Master. You can tell this for when he calls Septimus increasingly insulting names, going from "Clever" to "Ruthless". I believe that he is so grumpy with Septimus because he had spent so long trying to find him and has been on such a grueling journey, and he is just originally slightly snappy that it results in his ultimate dislike of his Master.
I have noticed that every book involves someone who is in danger or not with the rest of the group, and they need to go and rescue them, but somehow end up in danger themselves. In the first book (Magyk), the baby Jenna was in danger and then she was rescued by Silas and his family, who ended up in mortal danger at one point also. Also in the first book, Marcia was captured and held in a cell and the entire story sort of revolved around her capture. In the third book (Physik), Septimus becomes stuck in a Time five hundred years ago, and the story revolves around his rescue. Nicko and Snorri become stuck in that Time by the end of the book. In the fourth book (Queste), Nicko and Snorri are stuck in another Time and Jenna, Septimus, and Beetle must go and rescue them. In the process, Jenna, Septimus, and Beetle almost get stuck in that same Time also. In this book, Syrah is in mortal danger the entire time, as well as Septimus, Jenna, and Beetle, who are soon joined by Wolf Boy and Lucy. As you can see, in almost every book, the same basic narrative arc is used. I believe the author uses this in most books to create a recurring theme or to tie all the books together in some way, because they tend to have completely different plots only loosely interlinked.
I have noticed that a trend was when the Drawing happened and Septimus had to escape in order to escape the Queste, but he got the Queste anyway. You can see this when it says, "'No,' snapped Beetle suddenly. 'This has nothing to do with Nicko now. We are with Sep, and Sep is on the Queste. He has no choice. Once you Accept the Stone, Your Will is Not Your Own. Isn't that right, Sep?'" (Pg. 505) You can tell that the Acceptance of the Questing Stone which officially seals his fate to go on the Queste, has spurred a lot of things to happen. It spurred Septimus to try and escape the Queste, it spurred the journey of Beetle, Jenna, and Septimus to try and find Nicko and Snorri, and now it has had a big impact on what they were originally planning to do, as you can see in the quote, which has Beetle trying to get Jenna understand the importance of how the Queste was going to change their original plans. Therefore, it had a big impact on the events that unfolded.
Septimus thinks that a stranger who wished ill of him tried to get a "SafeCharm" to him in order to darken his fate, as had happened before to him, when really it was from Aunt Zelda. Barney Pot, who was supposed to give Septimus the SafeCharm, believes that Septimus was simply being stubborn and that terrible things would happen if he did not give Septimus the SafeCharm. Aunt Zelda thinks that Septimus got the SafeCharm she wanted to give him to keep him safe, and she is satisfied in his well-being. You can tell all these conflicting perspectives when it is stated, "Septimus shook his head. 'No, I don't have to take it.' Barney was horrified. He had promised to deliver a SafeCharm and deliver it he must. Awful things happened to people who promised to deliver SafeCharms and then didn't....Septimus looked at Barney. He felt sorry for the boy. 'Barney, a word of advice - never take a SafeCharm from anyone. Never.'" (Pg. 41) Also, you can see Aunt Zelda's perspective when it says, "Aunt Zelda sighed and told herself that at least Septimus had the SafeCharm - a live SafeCharm, no less." (Pg. 49) I believe that the author created this conflict in order to bring a feeling of frustration to the reader and to create a mood of forboding that Septimus did not have the SafeCharm.
Merrin Meredith, or "the boy", is planning something mischevious and Darke. You can tell when, "'I want that scribe's job.' the boy replied. Beetle was shocked. "The scribe's job?' he asked. 'Yeah,' said the boy. He grinned, pleased at the effect he had had. 'Like I said, the scribe's job.' 'But-do you have any qualifications?' Beetle stammered. In reply, the boy leaned forward and clicked his finger and thumb in Beetle's face. A flicker of black flame appeared from the tip of his thumb. 'That's my qualification,' the boy said. Beetle sat down in his chair with a bump. He'd heard about Darke tricks, although he'd never actually seen one before." (Pg 82) This displays that Merrin is being very mysterious and withholding information from everyone but himself. I think that this is because he is planning something carefully orchestrated to "Darken the Destiny of AnOther", which would be Septimus, of course, seeing as Merrin has quite the ill feelings toward him and wants him dead because Merrin used to be called Septimus before they discovered the truth about who was really who.
Marcellus is a strange man with very little knowledge about the world around him and an old, old man's mind. This is stated here, "He was wearing what Beetle knew - from old engravings - were the black and gold robes of an Alchemist.....A feeling of unreality stole over Beetle. Marcellus Pye was five hundred years old. He was the Last Alchemist." (Pg 166-167) As you can see, Marcellus Pye was very odd in this new time and should not exist. I believe that he left his old Time in order to get the Eternal Youth Potion from Septimus, and he would essentially live forever.
Queen Etheldredda has ill intentions for Jenna and Septimus, and possibly for the entire castle. You can see this when she says, "'I have something to tell you, Granddaughter, and I suggest you listen well. It will be greatly to your adoptive brother's disadvantage if you do not.' Jenna stopped - she recognized a threat when she heard one."(Pg 90) This displays that Queen Etheldredda is going to tell Jenna something that will hurt Septimus. A blackmail. I believe she has ill intentions for Septimus and Jenna because she wants to regain power at the castle, and is therefore trying to rid the castle of any obstacles in her way.