Oathbringer

Most of Oathbringer’s characters do not know where they belong. They wrestle with duty, the expectations from within and without, and the needs that arise from circumstances beyond their control. Their conflicts illustrate the importance of community and understanding with others. Even Jasnah, who has historically accepted her status as an outsider to Alethi society, struggles to adapt to the changes that occur following her near-assassination and escape through Shadesmar. She admits to Shallan that the changes during her absence, particularly related to the research she conducted to convince others of the coming Desolation, disorient her: “I understand so very little” (349). Despite her uncertainty upon her return, Jasnah is one of the most self-confident characters in the series. She accepts her role as an outsider and chooses who she will be for herself. She warns Dalinar, as he pulls away from the strictures of society, that people will try “to define you by something you are not. Do not let them” (401). She even understands the value of choosing a community to belong to more so than her family and friends. She observes Renarin and thinks to herself that “[y]ou can’t spend forever floating between worlds […]. Eventually you’ll need to decide where you want to belong.