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Auri Is Elodin's Former Giller, One of His Mind-Shattered Naming Students

plausible connection · popularity 51 · 1 source thread

Textual parallels reveal Auri was Elodin's giller, her broken mind the result of his naming experiments in opening the sleeping mind.

About: Auri, Elodin

Also involves: Kvothe, The Underthing, Naming, Alder Whin

The theory§

This theory identifies Auri as a former giller of Elodin, one of the naming students whose mind he shattered. Its anchor is Elodin's standing rule for his giller Alder Whin, that Whin is not to be confined and may come and go as he pleases, with nothing put in his food unless he asks, a freedom that matches exactly how Auri lives loose in the Underthing. The familiarity between Auri and Elodin in the second book, where she does not flee from him as her wary nature would otherwise demand, is read as proof they already know one another. The deeper claim concerns what Elodin does to his gillers: he trains students to open the several doors of the mind for naming, and those who cannot close the doors again are left shattered, while Elodin himself keeps the madness-door open by choice because it aids his naming. An allied reading holds that Auri was a naming student who tried to rename herself and was lost, which would also explain Elodin's startled reaction when Kvothe gives her the name Auri and when Kvothe later asks about a person who keeps changing their name.

Evidence§

  • Elodin's gillers have had their minds shattered, but his gillers are *not to be confined*, they may come and go as they please, no debate.
    Core claim: Elodin's standing rule for gillers matches Auri's free life in the Underthing. — u/Smurphilicious
  • Which are the exact same rules that Kvothe gives Elodin in WMF when Elodin is out for a stroll on the rooftops and finds Kvothe and Auri.
    Parallel: Kvothe's cautions about nervous Auri mirror Elodin's rules for the shattered Whin. — u/Smurphilicious
  • They knew each other. Of course. That was why she hadn't run away at the outset. … I guessed from this that he'd never shared a meal with Auri before.
    Auri's familiarity proves prior acquaintance, yet no shared meal implies a non-friendly relationship. — u/Smurphilicious
  • By the light of the moon, I saw his eyes. They were cool, thoughtful, and perfectly, utterly sane.
    Elodin is sane while his gillers are shattered, setting up what he does to them. — u/Smurphilicious
  • Their minds are Four Doors. … He's intentionally letting Auri Sleep, Forget, go Mad, and Die.
    Deeper claim: Elodin uses shattered gillers to open the doors of the mind toward the last door. — u/Smurphilicious
  • it makes more sense if Elodin's gillers / assistants are being trained to open multiple doors at once and then close them again. The ones with shattered minds can't close the doors once opened. Elodin apparently can open / close them at will
    Refines mechanism: shattered gillers are students who could open doors but not close them. — u/Enervata
  • This may explain why Auri appears to be able to Name in the Slow Regard of Silent Things. … The fact that her Third Door is permanently open allows her to see the Names of things as they truly are.
    Adds evidence: Auri's naming ability fits a permanently-open madness door from failed training. — u/Bellerophon_42
  • you lost me when you said she doesn't think Elodin is a good person. I think the only conclusion you can draw from that interaction is that she thinks Kvothe is nicer than Elodin.
    CounterCounter: the dinner exchange only shows Auri prefers Kvothe, not that Elodin harmed her. — u/synttacks
  • Elodin does state that he's been there for months. Meaning she might know him from that. … Her nature is being wary of new things. So her actions towards Elodin who she doesn't yet know seem fine?
    CounterCounter: familiarity could come from recent months, not a former giller relationship. — u/Gorbashou

Book refs: WMF, SROST

Tier reasoning§

plausible correct

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