Changin' Ways, How will Tracy change?

At the beginning of Relic Quest, Tracy is a rather docile, sweet girl. Kind of shy, a little overweight, self concious and not really a social butterfly.

By the end of Relic she's lived, loved, lost, been scarred (literally) by her time in the Land. Oh, and infected with Too'ki.

How do you think this will change Tracy? What qualities do you think she'll retain? Which ones will develop?

As if I don't get these types of questions asked enough to me in all my English classes....

I think the Land effects everyone in their own way. Some people positively and others (seemingly at first) negatively. In any case, it all brings your life into perspective and shakes you up a bit. But for the better. The Land asks for help from the Protectors and takes something from them, but it also gives back--in more ways than one (and not just a lousy necklace). And I think that's what makes both the characters in these books and the Land itself beautiful. It truly moves me.... every book. It's wonderful!

the main characters in the books are all people who need something. they are amazing people who havent yet had a chace to show others just how amazing they are. the land lets them do this, and when you are alloweed to be yourself, it brings forth"the real you". you become "yourself." so i think that maybe tracy (or ben or katie) havent "changed" so much as that they are now allowed to be themselves among people who love them for who they are.

o i hope that made sense.

I think that being a Protector awakens parts of you that lie dormant. Just like the Land gifts don't present themselves until you Travel, but then they are part of you forever, the potential for the people the Protectors become is there, but the Quest awakens that part of them and it allows them to grow into a new person. All the raw materials were there in Tracy, but it took the Land to help form them into traits and gifts she would use to become a better person.

You know, the first thing that popped into my head at that question was "Steer clear of her when she's on her period, 'cause I bet Too'ki PMS is SCARY!"

On the more serious side of things, she'll definitely have a stronger backbone now and I'm happy for her. She wasn't really living her own life before and now, even though she's had a lot of pain, she finally realizes how to really live her own life for herself and also knows that it's OK to do.

It's just a shame that at the same time she realized she should stand up for her herself and live her own life... that life had to be put on hold because of the whole Too'ki thing. That's gotta be frustrating.

I know she likes her food really really salty...

Hey! I'm still sweet and docile and...

Ok, I'm not. I have to watch my temper. Just ask Ben. And I do like my food realllllly salty. And I'm strong, much stronger than most humans I've met.

And yeah, PMS is a real you-know-what! Steven and Ben have learned to leave the compound when that time of the month rolls around.

I don't think that being infected by the Too'ki put her life on hold. It just changed it, added more complications. Like they say, "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger." And Tracy is definitely left stronger in all ways by her experiences. Not just physically by the Too'ki.

i think the too'ki helped her be more assertive and express her displeasure at things more easily....

Plus I got to keep the long hair. Bene for me!


(I'm in a good mood today, don't know why!)

I definitely see the impact of the quest on Tracy and her daily life. However, the part that I find most heartwrenching is the fact that she is smack dab in the middle of two protectors who found true love (or 2 blave) as a result of the Land.

Being that she cannot see Orli or the Land, it has to be terribly bittersweet to watch Katie and Steven and to see Ben's trips back and forth to visit Anja. Perhaps Sasha's quest, ending the way it did, can allow for some emotional healing for both ladies.

The thing I really like the most about Tracy is her physical strength juxtaposed with her emotional strength. She manages to be incredibly strong for a woman, but does it without being pushy or butch about it. On the inside, though, she is just a cream puff. She has the strength of a warrior and the heart of a woman. It's evident that she tries to take care of the other protectors just as much as they try to care for her.

What I love the best about Tracy's return to the World is knowing she got to keep her newfound agility and sportsmanship. So it's a hint that who you become when you're in the Land doesn't necessarily stay in the Land. You take some of it with you. Clearly Katie's not going around fighting the world with Pink Bubble Power ™... but you can tell she's taken confidence and initiative home with her. Tracy gets to take a little of that, but also a physical manifestation of her journey.

I wouldn't bet on that, btw. Just sayin'....