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Elodin's 'Seven Words' Question Is a Hidden Sign Between the Initiated

fringe mechanism · popularity 201 · 1 source thread

Elodin's admissions question about the seven words that make a woman love you may be a coded test for secret-society membership.

About: Elodin

Also involves: The Amyr, Kvothe, Denna, Naming, The University

The theory§

During Kvothe's admissions interview, Elodin breaks from his customary silence to ask whether Kvothe knows the seven words that will make a woman love you, then assures him 'they exist' before deferring back to the Chancellor. The Chancellor's murmured reply, 'That seems to cover most of academia,' carries a note of unease that Kvothe reads but cannot fully interpret. The theory proposes that this exchange is not merely a thematic motif for the Kvothe-and-Denna relationship but a covert recognition signal between the initiated, comparable to the rumoured passphrase 'How's the road to Tinue?', potentially used to identify the Amyr or some other hidden faction. Supporting strands note that the Chancellor's own reply is itself exactly seven words, hinting that seven-word sentences could function as a coded register; that Kvothe repeatedly speaks seven-word lines to women who then fall for him; and that this pattern may tie into Naming, the number seven echoing the seven Chandrian. A competing reading holds the Chancellor's discomfort stems simply from Elodin's unexpected participation, since the newly reinstated Master Namer rarely speaks at admissions and is regarded as an uncontrollable presence at the masters' table.

Evidence§

  • A little something during Kvothe's first admissions interview caught my attention. That is, the Chancellor's reaction to Elodin's question regarding the 'seven words'. … Kvothe senses that "something unsettled him" as a near direct response to Elodin piping up.
    OP's core observation: the Chancellor's unease at Elodin's question is the anomaly to explain. — u/Matt_1304
  • I propose that this question is more important than to act as a motif for Kvothe and Denna's tumultuous relationship.
    OP frames the question as more than a romantic motif. — u/Matt_1304
  • I'm leaning towards this question perhaps being a means to identify someone within the Order Amyr … I've heard a similar theory regarding the phrase: 'How's the road to Tinuë?'.
    OP's central claim: a covert recognition signal, like the Tinue passphrase. — u/Matt_1304
  • "they exist" could even be meant to imply "there is a right answer to that question, and when you join the secret club you will know to respond 'the blue cry flys alone'" or whatever and that let's Elodin know that you're in league with whoever the fuck Elodin is in league with - amyr or otherwise
    Comment refines the mechanism: a call-and-response passphrase between the initiated. — u/ILoveYouAllALittle
  • "That seems to cover most of academia." = seven words. Perhaps seven-word sentences are a way of speaking in code among those in the know and the chancellor is admonishing Elodin on the low.
    Adds evidence: Chancellor's reply is itself seven words, hinting at a coded register. — u/custommade24
  • there are a lot of moments where Kvothe literally says 7 words to different women and each time she seems to fall for him. So maybe it has to do with Naming? … Also Denna mentions 7 words he said to her when they first met
    Adds the recurring seven-word pattern and a possible Naming connection. — u/ewats1
  • 7 can be significant in that there are 7 of the Chandrian. … speaking in 7-word sentences can be a kind of code, perhaps for ones dealing with the Chandrian in some form.
    Extends the code idea to the seven Chandrian. — u/VetGuy2022
  • I always took the Chancellors unsettled reaction to be simply because Elodin not only didn't ask questions much but likely is only newly re-seated on the masters table as Master Namer at all and probably is seen more as a uncontrollable threat than an esteemed teacher.
    CounterCounter: the unease is just Elodin's unexpected participation, not a secret signal. — u/Sandal-Hat
  • It was elodin trying to humble a know-it-all, clearly a sexually inexperienced boy. This 7 word pick up line is reference several times … it's probably just a cool thing Rothfuss thinks: that 7 word sentences roll off the tongue especially nice.
    CounterCounter: mundane reading, a recurring pickup-line motif rather than coded membership test. — u/Pairot01

Book refs: NOTW, NOTW ch 36, NOTW p234

Tier reasoning§

fringe confirmed; distinct claim from the Chandrian-names theory

Contributors§

Source threads§