If you played a word association game with Katsa—our main girl in Graceling—and gave her the word marriage, she'd likely come back with something along the lines of prison. Or cage. Or maybe dungeon. Perhaps even the end of my life as I know it. Her views on marriage? Not all that favorable. Of course, given the status and rights of women during her time and in her culture, we can see why.
Because of her Grace, Katsa enjoys a certain amount of freedom that other women in her time and place do not. As a noble, Katsa has a place to live and enjoys free room and board—at the cost of doing her uncle's bidding. But even after she leaves Randa's court, Katsa finds herself well-equipped to survive on her own in the wild, and she's perfectly happy doing so. She's such a gifted fighter that she doesn't need a husband for personal protection, and as long as she remains unmarried, her time remains her own. Which is the way she likes it.
So yeah, it would seem that marriage, instead of conferring any benefits on Katsa, would only serve to restrict her freedom—something she values too highly to give up.
Questions About Marriage
- Why does Katsa vow she will never marry? Do you think her view of marriage is valid? Why or why not?
- What do you think Po's views of marriage are? If it weren't for Katsa's reluctance, do you think Po would be inclined to marry her? Why might he have different views on marriage than Katsa?
- When you look at the way marriage works in society today, do you see any of the problems that Katsa sees in the state of marriage in her time and culture? Explain.
- How do you feel about marriage? Do you think you will marry someday? Why do you think you feel the way you do?
Chew on This
In Graceling, Kristin Cashore communicates a strong anti-marriage message.
Graceling isn't anti-marriage at all; it's anti-inequality.