| "He didn't need to be able to see in order to be bold, curious, and willing to fight for what he believes in, which are all vital qualities for a hero." |
| — Victoria Holmes in Why is Jaypaw Blind? |
Why is Jaypaw Blind? is an essay that was written by Victoria Holmes,[1] explaining the reasoning behind Jaypaw's blindness.
Summary[]
- Vicky explains that though when asked this question she is tempted to reply that Jayfeather was simply born blind, there are other reasons. She talks of being a hero and that this does not depend on having five perfectly functioning senses; being blind does not diminish Jayfeather's importance in the series nor his ability to be a hero. She explains that she liked the challenge of writing from the perspective of a cat without sight as the other senses- smell, hearing, touch, taste- can be exploited more thoroughly.
- She claims to have deliberately started The Sight from his perspective so that little details could be added in order to trick the reader. This method proves to work, as it sends the reader into a false sense of security, where many assume that Jayfeather is a young cat with no visible problems, not even thinking for a moment that there could be something wrong. Readers are shocked when they find out the young cat is actually blind, and part of the reason for this was to allow readers to get to know him before pitying him. Vicky goes on to say that it is very difficult to pity Jayfeather due to his personality, and says that since Jayfeather didn't want to be judged by the other characters, it would be better for the readers not to judge him either. She says it was Jayfeather's destiny to be a medicine cat from the moment he was born.
- Vicky also wanted to give Jayfeather exceptional sight through his dreams; he can see into the minds of other cats and know their deepest fears. In order to fulfill the prophecy given to Firestar about the Three, he must learn to put his powers to good use.
- She says Jayfeather is one of the most exciting characters to write about, and that it is so much more fun to watch him progress when his instincts are more selfish and even vengeful at the start.
See also[]
Notes and references[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Revealed on silverpelt.co.uk (backup link)