1. Yes it does. Its like the gods gave her at least a bit of evidence, but she immediately dismisses it because she is determined not to believe. She's already made up her mind, and nothing will change it. I did think she really saw it, though.
2. Not if she really was mad. That 'as long as they're happy' attitude can be dangerous. But in this situation, I'm not sure. If you really love someone, you don't want to see them being happy in a harmful way. On the other hand, Psyche isn't really being happy in a harmful way, Orual only thinks she is. So I'm not really sure about this. I don't think she should have left her with that attitude, but

3. Its rather like the attitude of a person who goes to church, gives to charity, does all the outside things that Christians are supposed to do, and thinks they've 'given God his due' enough for him not to meddle in their lives. I don't think this is a healthy attitude. It seems to be another way of avoiding the personal nature of God (or the gods, in this case.)

1. I think she really saw it, but she didn't want to believe it was there. So yes, it does tell against her. The gods gave her a glimpse of what was real but she wouldn't take it.

2. I'm not sure. If Psyche was really mad I would say probably not. But since Psyche isn't mad perhaps it would have been better if Orual left her alone.

3. Bardia's attitude seems to be sort of a "I'll give you what you want if you'll leave me alone" attitude. As Lady Haleth said, he seems to be avoiding the personal nature of the gods. I'm not sure if it's good or bad in regards to the gods of the Mountain.

1. As Orual asks herself, does the fact that she saw the palace (or a vision of it), and then decided that it had been simply a mirage, tell against her? Once again, did she believe it was mirage only because she wanted to? Do you think she really saw the palace?

I think she did see the palace, but she didn't want to, so she talked herself out of the reality of what she had seen into the myth of it being her imagination.

2. Orual implies that she should leave Psyche alone in her madness, because at least she is happy. Do you think that this is a wise decision? Why or why not?

Well, if Psyche is mad, then absolutely not. If Psyche is sane, then perhaps, but I don't think it should be a "leave her alone" attitude, so much as a "she's happy and safe, so I'll try to come round to the fact that she's not crazy."

3. When questioned, Bardia says, "it's not my way to say more than I can help of gods and divine matters. I'm not impious. I wouldn't eat with my left hand, or lie with my wife when the moon's full, or slit open a pigeon to clean it with an iron knife, or do anything else that's unchancy and profane, even if the King himself were to bid me. And as for sacrifices, I've always done all that can be expected of a man on my pay. But for anything more—I think the less Bardia meddles with the gods, the less they'll meddle with Bardia."
What do you think of this attitude toward the gods? Is it good or bad?

I think Bardia's content to view the gods as a piece of his life, in the sense that he plays by the rules and then just hopes he has a good life and doesn't do anything "really bad." For this story, I'm not sure if that's a good attitude or not.

1. As Orual asks herself, does the fact that she saw the palace (or a vision of it), and then decided that it had been simply a mirage, tell against her? Once again, did she believe it was mirage only because she wanted to? Do you think she really saw the palace?

I think it does tell against her. She seemed so sure at first and then she starts to doubt. She even says that she doesn’t know how she could have imagined something like it based on what she has seen and heard. I’m not sure that she really decided that it was a mirage. She admits that she might have seen something. She seems to want the gods to do all of the work. Reading this book has made me realize how little I know about Greek mythology. I have a general impression that the gods don’t care much about the people but rather how they can use the people for their own purpose and whenever possible to get even with other gods. I’m not sure if they ever try to draw people to them or except people to have faith in them. If I read this from an I-have-read-the-Chronicles-of-Narnia-and-this-is-by-the-same-author perspective as well as a Christian perspective, I think the gods want her to have faith and if they show her the palace and leave it there she doesn’t have to have faith. However, I could easily see the gods mocking her and toying with her, if I read it based on my general impression about Greek mythology. Whatever the motive of the gods, I’m sure that she did see the palace.

2. Orual implies that she should leave Psyche alone in her madness, because at least she is happy. Do you think that this is a wise decision? Why or why not?

That is hard. If she really is mad, I’m not sure it is a good idea, since she could die out there in the winter. However, since she is stronger and healthier than she was before, I think it is best that she doesn’t force Psyche to come with her. –Wait does the question / book mean leave her alone as in not make her return to Glome / try to convince her she isn’t mad or leave her alone as in never return to the mountain? I think that Orual should return to mountain like she said she would not for Psyche’s sake (although it would make Psyche feel better) but for her own. She needs to see that Psyche is healthy and learn to how to love Psyche with a healthier love. If the gods are more like Aslan / Jesus and want people to come to them, then I feel it is for her own good that she try to learn to see them like Pysche does. Even if they are more like Orual things they are, she should try to see if there is a side of them that she is missing – try to find out why Psyche has longed for them and what she sees in them. Maybe there is more to them than Orual thinks.

3. When questioned, Bardia says, "it's not my way to say more than I can help of gods and divine matters. I'm not impious. I wouldn't eat with my left hand, or lie with my wife when the moon's full, or slit open a pigeon to clean it with an iron knife, or do anything else that's unchancy and profane, even if the King himself were to bid me. And as for sacrifices, I've always done all that can be expected of a man on my pay. But for anything more—I think the less Bardia meddles with the gods, the less they'll meddle with Bardia."

What do you think of this attitude toward the gods? Is it good or bad?
I’m not sure what to think. A lot of what he does seems to be pure superstition that probably won’t hurt or help him anyway. He seems to have more reverence for the gods than the king does. I’m not sure it is either good or bad. It could be either or a little of both. I would say that meddling with the gods would tend to get one into trouble but I don’t think not meddling with the gods will insure that they don’t meddle with one.

Reading this book has made me realize how little I know about Greek mythology.

Same here. Other then a phase around ten of reading fairly sanitized versions of the myths and Wiki articles if I need the basic background quickly, I've got very little knowledge of the mythology.

I enjoyed reading your views, you put a lot more thought into your responses then I did.

I think that Orual should return to mountain like she said she would not for Psyche’s sake (although it would make Psyche feel better) but for her own. She needs to see that Psyche is healthy and learn to how to love Psyche with a healthier love.

Well said. I agree that Orual visiting Psych could be much healthier and more helpful for the former then it is for the latter. I have the impression that Orual isn't going to be helping Psyche's situation though. . .

Reading this book has made me realize how little I know about Greek mythology.

Same here. Other then a phase around ten of reading fairly sanitized versions of the myths and Wiki articles if I need the basic background quickly, I've got very little knowledge of the mythology.

We did a unit on mythology in 7th grade. I took a mythology in high school but it didn't help much. (We read Shakespeare's Julius Ceaser, Animal Farm [the horse reminded me of Puzzle], the Aeniad (sp) [actually the class read part of it but Another girl and I read the whole thing], watched Jason and the Argonauts, and watched videos about different categories (i.e. mythical animals). My teacher had a weird definition of Mythology. I read the Iliad and Odyssey over 10 years ago. (Although I watched part of the Odyssey when subbing not to long ago). I'm interested in the subject but my problem is I want to read the "correct" version of the stories but I don't think such a thing exist. In other words, I don't know where to start. (wow I'm off topic. )

I enjoyed reading your views, you put a lot more thought into your responses then I did.

Thanks!

Bardia is saying that the being that comes to Pysche must be awful to look at and thus seems to be assuming that it must be evil. Oruel seems to go along with that idea. However, Oruel by all accounts is not nice to look at but no one seems to be assuming that means she is evil. Oruel of all people ought to know that looks aren't everything.

Wow, Pattertwig's Pal, you've read a lot more mythology than I have. And you say you know little about it.

3. I think Bardia respects the gods, but also fears them. This kind of fear leads him to distance himself from the gods so that he won't anger them. I don't think the Greek gods are particularly safe... or good, so perhaps trying not to be noticed by the gods is a good idea.