KKC Theory Wiki

Trapis Shapes How Kvothe Imagines Taborlin the Great's Patchwork Cloak

plausible symbolism · popularity 154 · 1 source thread

Kvothe pictures Taborlin's cloak as a dark patchwork quilt because it subconsciously evokes the kindly, mended-robe Trapis.

About: Trapis, Taborlin the Great

Also involves: Kvothe

The theory§

This theory connects Kvothe's imagined picture of Taborlin the Great's cloak, which he describes as a patchwork quilt of mismatched rags or else a color too dark to see, to Trapis, the kindly caretaker of Tarbean's forgotten children, whose robe is patched and mended so heavily that its original color and shape are unguessable. The argument is that Kvothe, asked offhand by Hespe what color Taborlin's cloak was, subconsciously projects Trapis onto the legend, dressing his childhood hero in the garment of the one man who acted as a real hero to him when he was a starving orphan. The reading sits within a wider pattern of Taborlin motifs threaded through the series: Trapis walks slowly and tenderly like an old man despite being under forty, echoing Kote; Elodin commands stones to break; Auri gives Kvothe a key, a coin, and a candle; and Kvothe says 'edro' to open the Maer's box. Each Taborlin-the-Great signifier reappears scattered among the living, suggesting the legend is being reassembled around Kvothe.

Evidence§

  • He wore a long robe, patched and mended to such a degree that I couldn’t really guess at its original color or shape.
    Establishes Trapis's robe as patched, color and shape unguessable. — u/Chaxum
  • Hespe turned to Dedan. "What color do you think Taborlin's cloak was?"
    The offhand prompt that triggers Kvothe's image of the cloak. — u/Chaxum
  • "Sometimes I think of it like a quilt," I said. "Made entirely out of patchwork, a bunch of different colored rags and scraps. But most of the time I think of it as dark. Like it really is a color, but it's too dark for anyone to see."
    Kvothe's imagined cloak: patchwork rags or a color too dark to see. — u/Chaxum
  • I wonder if there's a subconscious association with Kvothe imagining Taborlins cloak as ragged patchwork. Kind of projecting Trapis' kind nature and the fact he was sort of a hero when Kvothe needed one
    OP's core claim: Kvothe subconsciously projects hero Trapis onto Taborlin. — u/Chaxum
  • First Trapis has the cloak of no particular color (plus he walks like an old man, despite not being very old, which is very similar to our Kote). Then Elodin says to the stones, “break” and they break. Auri gives Kvothe a key, a coin, and a candle. Kvothe says “edro” and opens the Maer’s box. There’s just too many of these details for it to be a coincidence.
    Adds wider pattern of scattered Taborlin signifiers reinforcing the reading. — u/No-BrowEntertainment
  • So far, Trapis is the only altruistic hero in the story
    Supports that Trapis uniquely fills the hero role Kvothe would project. — u/mikebrown33
  • I could've sworn it was because Kvothe's mother made him a patchwork cloak of many colors.... Time for another reread I guess!
    CounterCounter: cloak image may trace to Kvothe's mother, not Trapis. — u/kyle273
  • Some might say that's a huge assumption as patchwork blankets are pretty common but that's the 2 time it's mentioned
    CounterCounter: patchwork is common, weakening the specific Trapis link. — u/Due-Refrigerator-748

Book refs: NOTW, WMF

Tier reasoning§

single page, no dupes; tier 'plausible' fits a subconscious-projection symbolism claim

Contributors§

Source threads§