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Friday
From my recent immersion in the works of Terry Pratchett, I’ve come to see the fantasy author as a post-modern Tolkien with a sense of humor. Although much more supportive of a multicultural and egalitarian society than Tolkien, like Tolkien he often focuses on the lust for power, which can even corrupt good people. Like Tolkien, he is interested in what it takes to resist the attraction.
Given that Donald Trump is willing to shred the Constitution in pursuit of power and the GOP appears willing to go along, the theme is a timely one.
The ring of power, of course, is the central focus of Lord of the Rings, and protagonist Frodo is able to break free of its spell only through a kind of grace, made possible by the mercy he has previously shown towards Gollum. The latter, who functions as Frodo’s dark or shadow side figure, can be seen as a power addict, hollowed out by his craving.
In Terry Pratchett’s Thud!, meanwhile, police inspector Sam Vimes too finds himself in possession of a destructive power known as “the summoning dark.” In his own Mount Doom moment, he finds the internal strength to resist it.
Written in 2005—which is to say, when the world was experiencing not only an uptick in Islamic violence but also America’s catastrophic response to 9-11 (especially its invasion of Iraq)—Thud! shows Vimes succumbing to a blind rage after fundamentalist dwarfs invade his home and try to kill his child. These terrorists, obsessed as they are with the belief that dwarf culture should remain pure, bear no small resemblance to ISIS extremists. The real drama is whether Vimes, in fighting them, will become like them.
We watch his interior dialogue, which brings to mind Satan’s attempt to seduce Jesus in the desert, an appropriate scriptural passage for this Lenten season. The following passage is told from the Summoning Dark’s point of view, which can’t believe that Vimes is rejecting it. The “figure” in the metal helmet and leather cloak is Vimes, the “entity” the Summoning Dark:
Water cascaded off a metal helmet and an oiled leather cloak as the figure stopped and, entirely unconcerned, cupped its hand in front of its face and lit a cigar.
Then the match was dropped on the cobbles, where it hissed out, and the figure said: “What are you?”
The entity stirred, like an old fish in a deep pool. It was too tired to flee.
“I am the Summoning Dark.” It was not, in fact, a sound, but had it been, it would have been a hiss. “Who are you?”
“I am the Watchman.”
“They would have killed his family!” The darkness lunged, and met resistance. “Think of the deaths they have caused! Who are you to stop me?”
“He created me. Quis custodiet Ipsos custodes? Who watches the watchmen? Me. I watch him. Always. You will not force him to murder for you.”
“What kind of human creates his own policeman?”
“One who fears the dark.”
“And so he should” said the entity, with satisfaction.
“Indeed. But I think you misunderstand. I am not here to keep darkness out. I’m here to keep it in.” There was a clink of metal as the shadowy watchman lifted a dark lantern and opened its little door. Orange light cut through the blackness. “Call me…the Guardian Dark. Imagine how strong I must be.”
The Summoning Dark backed desperately into the alley, but the light followed it, burning it.
“And now,” said the watchman, “get out of town.”
All this, we learn later, occurs during a four-second pause as the sword-wielding Vimes looms over unarmed dwarf fundamentalists. That pause gives his werewolf lieutenant the time to disarm him, Angua being (along with fellow cop Sally, a vampire) a character who must find her own means of controlling her dark side. In the end, lights wins out and peace is restored in the long-running feud between dwarfs and trolls.
Pratchett may well have been responding to how the Bush-Cheney administration (emphasis on Cheney) used torture and other forms of extra-judicial punishment on those it held responsible for the 9-11 attacks. I think it’s possible that this eruption of the Summoning Dark helped pave the way for Trump, whose blatant disregard for the rules of civilized society seems like an extension of those dark days.
Pratchett has assisted me towards a new understanding of Trump cultism. In the past, I’ve quoted former Republican Tom Nichols, writer for the Atlantic, about how America has become an unserious nation, preferring reality television celebrities to politicians concerned about responsible governance. Building on this, I’m wondering whether this segment of the population is experiencing something akin to an addiction. Just as it has long been addicted to the power that comes with owning guns (including assault rifles), so now it has become addicted to the Trumpian fantasy that one can, with impunity, violate the law, minority and women’s rights, various protocols, and common decency. And there are plenty of politicians, rabble rousers, media influencers, and grifters who are eager to keep feeding that addiction.
How do we encourage people to kick the Summoning Dark habit and join the Guardian Dark instead? As Vimes notes, that’s where real strength is to be found.