The Book of Three Chapter by Chapter 6 |CXC41

What did you think of The Book of Three Chapter 6 Eilonwy by Lloyd Alexander?

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Going Literary! The Book of Three Chapter 6: Eilonwy and Traditional Gender Roles

By MJ Muñoz – Author, Artist, Analyzer – MJMunoz.com

A Character Worth Meeting

If Gwydion is the man Taran needs to be, then Eilonwy is the woman Taran needs to be able to win the heart of. Now, I’m not suggesting that Chapter 6 of The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander introduces romance into the story. I’m actually against adolescent romance in children’s books, and I think romantic themes should be reserved for adult characters. Even in this medieval world where they’re both around 12 or 13 (their exact ages aren’t entirely clear), I prefer to keep things wholesome.

There is, however, something in this chapter that feels like potential—a ship waiting to set sail. But I’ll spoil this much: that doesn’t happen in this book, and you could argue it doesn’t really happen in the series as a whole. When anything resembling romance does appear, it’s handled in a very chaste, wholesome way, which I approve of.

Eilonwy’s Self-Assurance

What makes Eilonwy such a compelling character is her self-assured nature and clear understanding of who she is. The fascinating part is that we get very little direct exposition about her—instead, we learn about Eilonwy through her interactions with Taran.

She comes across as somewhat flighty to Taran, who sees the world through a darker lens. He’s constantly anticipating catastrophe, yet paradoxically believes he can handle any situation. This contradiction in his thinking is quite interesting—in previous chapters, he believed he could simply swim when needed, yet now he worries that Achren’s food and water might be poisoned.

A Mirror for Taran’s Flaws

Taran criticizes Eilonwy for being scatterbrained, worrying she’ll forget how she’s supposed to help him and Gwydion escape. The irony is that he’s guilty of the same scattered thinking he accuses her of. He sees her flaws clearly but remains blind to his own similar shortcomings.

Despite this, Eilonwy’s energy, vibrancy, and zest for life bring a compelling dynamic to the story. She’s genuinely enjoyable to experience as a reader, and this has nothing to do with her being described as beautiful. It’s her personality that shines—a refreshing contrast to Taran’s dourness.

Intelligence with Growth Potential

Eilonwy does make Taran look foolish at times, calling him “stupid” in various ways throughout the chapter. What’s important is that this isn’t written as a “girl boss” moment or as modern commentary—it’s simply that Taran genuinely has flaws and needs growth, while Eilonwy seems further along in her personal journey.

When Taran reveals he’s just an assistant pig-keeper, Eilonwy accepts this graciously. However, when he seems slow to understand things that she considers obvious, she doesn’t hesitate to point out his apparent stupidity. This reveals her own character flaw—a lack of perspective to understand that not everyone has her particular knowledge or background.

For example, when Taran asks about her bauble, she interprets his question as ignorance rather than curiosity about its magical properties. She lacks the wisdom to see that he’s not asking what the bauble is but why it glows.

Defined Gender Roles with Freedom

One of the most fascinating aspects of this chapter is how Eilonwy explains that in her family, men grow up to become war leaders and women become sorceresses. As an orphan of noble birth, she’s being trained by her aunt Achren to follow the sorceress path.

This creates an interesting contrast with Taran, who aspires to become a war leader like Gwydion. They’re placed in parallel tracks determined by their genders—he as a future warrior, she as a future sorceress. Her glowing bauble already hints at the magical abilities developing within her.

I appreciate how the book presents these traditional gender roles without question or pushback. At the same time, Eilonwy herself breaks the mold in her personality. She’s not a bashful, timid girl but brash and excited about helping Taran and Gwydion escape Achren’s prison. She can’t wait to see her aunt’s frustration when she discovers they’ve escaped.

Eilonwy is doing something brave and noble, but with a girlish motivation—to spite her aunt and enjoy her frustration. She’s a lovable scamp of a character while also being a proper “princess” of sorts. It’s as if Leia and Han Solo from Star Wars were somehow the same person.

She accepts traditional gender norms but isn’t constrained by them. She’s going to become a sorceress as tradition dictates, but she’ll do it with her own unique attitude and personality. Eilonwy remains Eilonwy, despite fitting into her traditional gender role.

Complementary Strengths

These gender-defined paths aren’t portrayed as unequal—just different, with distinct advantages and challenges. Taran becoming a war leader might mean risking death in battle someday, while Eilonwy’s path to becoming a sorceress carries its own risks and rewards.

This reminds me of how my wife and I approach our roles as parents. We each have our strengths and responsibilities, and we appreciate what the other brings to our family. There are things I do as a father that my wife doesn’t want to do, and vice versa as a mother. We recognize and appreciate these complementary roles.

Looking Forward

Chapter 6, with its introduction of Eilonwy, is a blast. The dynamic between these two characters brings new energy to the story, and I’m excited to continue following their adventure. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this chapter and the book as a whole if you’ve already read it (just be mindful of spoilers for those reading along).

Speaking of adventures, I’ve been working hard on my debut middle-grade novel, Mockwing Mayhem. It’s about magical bugs battling monsters—specifically, a creature called a Mockwing discovers where the magical bugs live and aims to destroy them all. A couple of young, untrained Grobugs seize the opportunity to save one of their mentors and battle this misty bird monster that can hide in fog. IF they can defeat it they still have to survive the REST of the monsters!

The book is finished and I’m currently working with an artist on the cover. I’m aiming for a Spring 2025 release. If you enjoy stories like The Book of Three with real stakes, danger, and triumph over obstacles, I think you’ll enjoy my story too. The book doesn’t talk down to younger readers but addresses challenges in a meaningful way.

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Until next time, take care and be well!