[Chapter 14] General Observation & Plot Discussion

[Aspen d'Grey]

todd said:

This chapter is noteworthy for two reasons. It marks the end of Annie's first year at Gunnerkrigg (the 11-12 year), and both we and Annie see a formal assembly of the school faculty for the first time (including the introduction of the Headmaster and Jones into the webcomic). In the previous chapters, Annie has either adventured on her own or with a friend or two (such as Kat or Reynardine); now, she's actually present at a piece of official business by the grown-ups - and just as her first year (the one year at Gunnerkrigg to be counted as childhood; she'll turn 13 in her second year there) ends. Could this be a sign of her moving towards adulthood - taking part in the grown-ups' business for the first time?

It is also worth noting that at the end of the meeting, the Headmaster asks her to start taking classes with Parley and Smith (presumably as part of whatever apprenticeship training they're part of). Could this be another sign of our heroine taking a step closer towards adulthood - being initiated into another circle in the mysteries surrounding Gunnerkrigg?

That's a pretty awesome chapter summary right there, todd. It feels like somehting you'd read in a book review in the NYT. =D

[todd]

Thanks, Aspen.

As I've mentioned elsewhere, I'm interested in seeing how Annie will be getting along with Parley and Smith in her second year at Gunnerkrigg. For reasons that I've also mentioned, I think that Parley is not going to take well to Annie, and there could be a lot of friction between them. (To put it more accurately, I think that Parley will supply the bulk of the friction, with Annie not looking for a quarrel or fight, but being ready to defend herself in a spirited fashion if she has to). Smith will probably be more accepting of Annie - followed, no doubt, by Parley turning on him with a tone of "Don't encourage her!"

At least, that's what I see happening.

[Aspen d'Grey]

todd said:

Thanks, Aspen.

As I've mentioned elsewhere, I'm interested in seeing how Annie will be getting along with Parley and Smith in her second year at Gunnerkrigg. For reasons that I've also mentioned, I think that Parley is not going to take well to Annie, and there could be a lot of friction between them. (To put it more accurately, I think that Parley will supply the bulk of the friction, with Annie not looking for a quarrel or fight, but being ready to defend herself in a spirited fashion if she has to). Smith will probably be more accepting of Annie - followed, no doubt, by Parley turning on him with a tone of "Don't encourage her!"

At least, that's what I see happening.

It would appear that we will need a Parley vs Annie thread, then. I think that Annie is going to drive quite a rift between Parley and Smith, especially since Smith has the added problem of having to deal with Annie longer than he will with Parley, so it would be wiser of him (if he has to choose) to be on Annie's good side rather than Parley's. I think that he's going to enjoy the upcomign term the least of the three.

[papaya]

todd said:

with Annie not looking for a quarrel or fight, but being ready to defend herself in a spirited fashion if she has to.

When two mediums are in conflict, all their interactions are spirited. ;D

[todd]

aspengrey said:

It would appear that we will need a Parley vs Annie thread, then. I think that Annie is going to drive quite a rift between Parley and Smith, especially since Smith has the added problem of having to deal with Annie longer than he will with Parley, so it would be wiser of him (if he has to choose) to be on Annie's good side rather than Parley's. I think that he's going to enjoy the upcomign term the least of the three.

Yes, especially since I get the impression that he's by far the meeker of the two, with Parley being much more aggressive, particularly towards him (such as pinching his cheeks or putting her arms around him in a manner that's halfway between a hug and a wrestling move). Smith might find Annie better company because she's not likely to treat him that way - which is going to annoy Parley all the more, I imagine.

[nikita]

I don't think Parley is alway in the bad mood she was in when we first met her.
Gamma and Zimmy are also mediums, maybe we'll meet them again soon.

[todd]

nikita said:

I don't think Parley is alway in the bad mood she was in when we first met her.

I hope not. But I still get the suspicion that Parley isn't going to be too happy about Annie's presence with them - for one thing, as I mentioned elsewhere, she's probably thinking "She caused all this trouble by trying to sneak across the bridge and then slapping Coyote in the middle of a negotiation session - and they're rewarding her for it by giving her special classes!"

[Aspen d'Grey]

todd said:

nikita said:

I don't think Parley is alway in the bad mood she was in when we first met her.

I hope not. But I still get the suspicion that Parley isn't going to be too happy about Annie's presence with them - for one thing, as I mentioned elsewhere, she's probably thinking "She caused all this trouble by trying to sneak across the bridge and then slapping Coyote in the middle of a negotiation session - and they're rewarding her for it by giving her special classes!"

Agreed, even if Parley isn't -normally- this pissy, she's nto likeloy to lighten up on Annie, and, as we saw from before she learned who Annie was, she's still a bit pushy.