It seems like it would be almost impossible to go on a long and wild journey to find someone you've never seen before and not develop some ideas about what you think they'll look like. But one of the things The Ropemaker tells us is that your preconceived notions of what you think you are going to find don't always match up with what actually awaits you.
Nobody knows this better than Tilja, who learns this lesson firsthand when she meets Faheel. He isn't at all what she's imagined the powerful wizard will be—he's way too normal. And by normal, we mean old-guy-in-a-vegetable-garden normal… a.k.a. super normal.
But appearances aren't everything. So while Faheel may disappoint on the appearances front, he still delivers on the super-awesome-magical-powers front. In short, don't judge a book by its cover.
Questions About Appearances
- Tilja never describes exactly what she thinks Faheel will look like, but he doesn't appear to be as imposing as she expected. If he looked like the Emperor, do you think she'd be less surprised?
- What was your first impression of the Ropemaker? Why do you think he chose to appear awkward, given the dangers he faced?
- Did you think Tilja has the potential to be a magician when you first met her?
Chew on This
What you see isn't often what you get in this book, and appearances and reality are usually two totally different things when Tilja interacts with a character.
A deliberately cultivated appearance in a magician, like Faheel, or a politician, like the Emperor, can lead someone off course—which is exactly what magicians and politicians intend.