Guide Mentor

Character Role Analysis

Maude

Maude takes care of the Trebond twins and even teaches them a little bit of magic. She's the only adult the twins let in on their plan to switch places, and she supports them in it once she performs a spell to get in touch with the gods and ask for advice.

Want specifics? How's this: Maude guides Alanna by advising her to use her Gift to heal. This matters because when she becomes a knight, Alanna's going to kill people. Possibly a lot of people. And in order to balance out her karma (Shmoop's word, not Maude's), Alanna should plan on healing as much as possible. It sounds like Maude's really looking out for Alanna with that bit of metaphysical advice.

Coram

Coram has to be dragged kicking and screaming into going along with Alanna's plan to masquerade as a boy at the palace. That doesn't exactly inspire us to put him in the mentor category, but you also have to remember that he's the one who trained Alanna to hunt, fight, and ride in the first place. He was mostly doing it so that her twin brother Thom might learn a thing or two as well…which didn't exactly turn out the way he'd thought, eh?

Once Alanna convinces him that she'll make a good boy, however, he's behind her 100%. He helps her get bandages when she needs to bind her chest, and he teaches her grappling so that she can have a chance at kicking Ralon's butt. He loans her his sword to practice with—and for a swordsman to part with his sword, well, that says something.

Sir Myles

Though he teaches all the pages history, Sir Myles develops a special relationship with "Alan." When the Sweating Fever hits the palace, Alanna convinces Sir Myles to kick all the naysayers out of Jonathan's room so that she can use her healing skills to try to help him. Sir Myles, having more prestige than some wimpy little page, agrees to help. And help he does—after Alanna gets her hands on Jonathan, the fever turns tail and runs.

Sir Myles seems to help Alanna because he's a nice dude, but he also gets a little…er…extra prompting. By which we mean a dream from the gods. To his credit, Sir Myles doesn't freak out, but he does bring "Alan" to the ruins as instructed in the dream. The point of which is to put a magical sword in Alanna's hands. So thanks to Myles's help, Alanna has a shot at defeating the Nameless Ones in the Black City. Go Myles!