4th blog of 2nd book

"As he walked back to Saphira, Eragon considered the speed with which they had reacted. His heart still contracted into a hard, painful know with each beat, his hands shook, and he felt like dashing into the wilderness and running several miles without stopping. We wouldn't have jumped like that before, he thought. The reason for their vigilance was no mystery: every one of their fights had chipped away their complacency, leaving behind nothing but raw nerves that twitched at the slightest touch.
Roran must have been entertaining similar thoughts, for he said, 'Do you see them?'
'Who?'
'The men you've killed. Do you see them in your dreams?'
'Sometimes.'
The pulsing glow from the coals lit Roran's face from below, forming thick shadows above his mouth and across his forehead and giving his heavy, half-lidded eyes a baleful aspect. He spoke slowly, as if he found the words difficult. 'I never wanted to be a warrior. I dreamed of blood and glory when I was younger, as every boy does, but the land was what was important to me. That and our family... And now I have killed... I have killed and killed, and you have killed even more.' His gaze focused on some distant place only he could see. 'There were these two men in Narda... Did I tell you this before?'
He had, but Eragon shook his head and remained silent.
'They were guards at the main gate... Two of them, you know, and the man on the right, he had pure white hair. I remember because he couldn't have been more than twenty-four, twenty-five. They wore Galbatorix's sigil but spoke as if they were from Narda. They weren't professional soldiers. They were probably just men who had to decided to help protect their homes from Urgals, pirates, and brigands... We weren't going to lift a finger against them. I swear to you, Eragon, that was never part of our plan. I had no choice, though. They recognized me. I stabbed the white-haired man underneath his chin... It was like when Father cut the throat of a pig. And then the other, I smashed open his skull. I can still feel his bones giving way... I remember every blow I've landed, from the soldiers in Carvahall to the ones on the Burning Plains... You know, when I close my eyes, sometimes I can't sleep because the light from the fire we set in the docks of Teirm is so bright in my mind. I think I'm going mad then.'
Eragon found his hands gripping his staff with such force, his knuckles were white and tendons ridged the insides of his wrists. 'Aye' he said. 'At first it was just Urgals, then it was men and Urgals, and now this last battle... I know what we do is right, but right doesn't mean easy. Because of who we are, the Varden expect Saphira and me to stand at the front of their army and to slaughter entire battalions of soldiers. We do. We have.' His voice caught, and he fell silent.
Turmoil accompanies every great change, said Saphira to both of them. And we have experienced more than our share, for we are agents of that very change. I am a dragon, and I do not regret the deaths of those who endanger us. Killing the guards in Narda may not be a deed worthy of celebration, but neither is it one to feel guilty about. You had to do it. When you must fight, Roran, does not the fierce joy of combat lend wings to your feet? Do you not know the pleasure of pitting yourself against a worthy opponent and the satisfaction of seeing the bodies of your enemies piled before you? Eragon, you have experienced this. Help me explain it to your cousin.
Eragon stared at the coals. She had stated a truth that he was reluctant to acknowledge, lest by agreeing that one could enjoy violence, he would become a man he would despise. So he was mute. Across from him, Roran appeared similarly affected (Paolini 17-18)."

I think this passage is about theme. Throughout the whole series (there's 3 books so far) Eragon struggles with his humanity and how although he doesn't want to kill, he has to, to survive. In this way the passage is also characterization because it's helping to define Eragon as a peace keeper/lover. Strangely, Eragon also struggles with any other sort of killing such killing animals for meat. But this passage is also a theme passage because in an indirect way, through his characters that is, Paolini is asking the human question- just how much are we willing to kill to survive let alone to keep the peace? When can we get away with killing? Is it ok to kill at all? This is obviously something both Eragon and Roran struggle with in this passage and throughout the series. Other races such as the elves, dragons and Urgals don't have so much trouble dealing with their feelings when it comes to killing others like humans. By comparing all of these different races- what is Paolini trying to accomplish or point out? Is he trying to mark the differences in how people feel today when it comes to killing others? Maybe he's comparing what other races would feel compared to humans (if there really are such races out there). Is Paolini indirectly questioning whether we are really the only beings on this planet that have such a thought process let alone in this galaxy or galaxies? What is Paolini's purpose in this passage? In other words- why did Paolini bother to put this passage in the book let alone describe how Eragon, Roran and Saphira feel about killing others (later in the book there's also passages about how the other races- Urgals, dwarfs and elves feel about killing)? Personally I think the author is questioning humanity and whether or not it is really ok to kill others despite the circumstances.
-katthegreat08