#lisa mcmann

[thoughtkick]

Because with the right person, sometimes kissing feels like healing.

Lisa McMann

[sunsetquotes]

Because with the right person, sometimes kissing feels like healing.

Lisa McMann; Gone

[perfectquote]

Because with the right person, sometimes kissing feels like healing.

Lisa McMann

[stay-close]

Because with the right person, sometimes kissing feels like healing.

Lisa McMann

[thehopefulquotes]

Because with the right person, sometimes kissing feels like healing.

Lisa McMann

[resqectable]

Because with the right person, sometimes kissing feels like healing.

Lisa McMann

[4pplec0re]

lotsa colors make my brain go wrrr

back on my unwanteds bullshit again sry

[surqrised]

Because with the right person, sometimes kissing feels like healing.

Lisa McMann

[nightlyquotes]

Because with the right person, sometimes kissing feels like healing.

Lisa McMann

[haveyoureadthisbook-poll]

[thoughtkick]

Because with the right person, sometimes kissing feels like healing.

Lisa McMann

[artimeanatheart]

Aaron Character Analysis-Book One Part One

So, I've been obsessed with The Unwanteds series for years. Especially Aaron. During my annual reread last year (yes, I said annual reread), I made a bunch of notes on his character development. And as I'm rereading this year and making notes on Alex's character development, I've decided to go ahead and put my Aaron character analyses up on Tumblr. I wrote over 20,000 words about him alone throughout all fourteen books, so. . .there'll be a couple posts about him per book.

Aaron is my favorite character in The Unwanteds series and probably my favorite character, period. He means a lot to me and I also heavily project all of my issues onto him (as one does). So these analyses are definitely colored by that and it's alright if you interpreted his character differently. There will also be spoilers for the whole series throughout the analyses, including Quests. You have been warned.

With that aside, here's the first part of my book one character analysis.

How Perceptions of Aaron Change Throughout the Book

"'Well, that's a waste. Aaron could use them. The shoes, at least. Wish I'd thought to take them before he left.' 'I wouldn't want to wear them,' Aaron said, and then he pinched his lips together before he said more."

What I love about Aaron in this book is less about his character and development, and more about how the reader's perception of him changes throughout this book.  At the beginning of the book, he's framed sympathetically.  The reader isn't necessarily supposed to like him, but they are supposed to sympathize with him and feel bad for him.  We see him actually being sad (however briefly) after Alex's 'death', and showing more emotion at it than anyone else, including their parents.  At the same time we also see the him acting like an arrogant jerk. 

"'It's not Aaron's fault,' he [Alex] said almost automatically as he slid on the cushioned sofa next to Meghan. Sean's eyes were still narrowed. He looked like he could spit needles if he wanted to. 'Of course not,' he said gruffly. 'Nobody blames him.'"

And then we go back to Alex's POV, who thinks of Aaron very sympathetically.  Other characters even reinforce the idea that Aaron's a victim of Quill; that he's not bad, Quill is. 

"Aaron scanned the worn page before him, wanting to know more about the enemies, but there was no description. He wondered how the governors knew that other lands wanted to attack, since there had been no communication outside the walls of Quill in fifty years."

We also see Aaron going to Quill's classes and buying into their propaganda, but also doubting it to some extent.  We see him keeping thoughts to himself and hiding things.  And we have hope.  We have hope that he could choose Artime's side in the inevitable conflict.

"He [Alex] plopped down on the couch across from them and closed his eyes, wondering if Mr. Today knew that Aaron had drawn in the dirt too."

We spend most of the middle of the book with Alex, who's main goal is getting Aaron to come to Artime.  He's convinced there's a chance, and, while the reader isn't as convinced as he is, we also think there's a chance, however small, that Aaron will come.  We learn that Aaron's creative too, that he should have been an Unwanted, that he drew in the dirt that day in the rain. 

". . .the Favored farm, Aaron's own creation. . ."

We also see Aaron being creative, although in a subtle way that first time readers might not pick up on.  He creates the favored farm.  It's an idea that no one has had before.  It's a new way of thinking.  It's creative.  But at the same time we see him climbing Quill's ranks, becoming closer to Justine.  We see him wanting that position.  We see him being proud of having it.  And we worry.  We worry that Alex won't succeed, even if we still want him to.

Back on Alex's side of things, we see that Will Blair is planning to kill Aaron.  And, in that situation, the reader is actually supposed to root for Aaron.  We're supposed to want him to live, to escape Will, if not for his own sake then for Alex's sake.  At this point in the story, Will is more of an antagonist than Aaron is. Even Samheed could be considered more of an antagonist in in parts of this book than Aaron.  Aaron's just a misguided Quillen.  

"Alex watched Aaron carefully. And for the first time in his life he saw the depth of the chilling hardness in Aaron's eyes. . .He whispered, 'You reported me, too.' It was not a question. For Alex there was no question anymore. He stared at his brother, forcing Aaron to either hold his gaze or look away." Aaron's eyes filled with contempt. 'Get out of my sight, you filthy, useless Unwanted.'"

And then we get to the turning point.  The point where Aaron is presented with two paths: Alex's path, Artime's path, the right path; versus Justine's path, Quill's path, the wrong path.  Alex visits him in his room and he has to make a choice.  Going into that scene, the reader thinks there's a chance for Aaron.  Thinks there's hope for him.  Except Aaron is horrible to Alex.  And cruel.  And we see how far gone he really is, how Alex's perception of him is not the reality.  And our hope dwindles.  Alex turns back and returns to Artime, leaving Aaron in Quill.

"'Come on, Aaron, let me show you Mr. Today's mansion,' Alex said. Aaron looked at his brother and felt a small blip of something deep inside, but within a moment it was gone. 'No. I've got an early appointment at the palace,' he said brusquely."

But then.  Aaron steps through the door.  He comes to Artime and that hope is reignited.  Maybe it was just a fake out.  Maybe he'll really be good and fight alongside Alex instead of against him.  We can see hints of a good person in him; maybe those hints will win out and we can see them develop.  But no.  Aaron turns back.  He makes his choice, and he chooses Quill.  The reader is hurt and angry at him.  Angry at him for hurting Alex, who we've come to care about.  Hurt by the bait and switch and by the betrayal of this character we'd come to hope for.

Interestingly, the first choice Aaron makes after getting back to Quill, to use the Great Lake of Boiling Oil to solve the Quillitary oil problem, wasn't really antagonistic.  He had convinced himself it was all a dream, that Alex was dead, so it would only help him to use the lake (look at him-coming up with solutions out of his dreams).  But then Artime is exposed, because of his actions.  And he looses everything.

"Aaron, eyeing the others, stood near one of the palace guards. Pure hatred dripped from his features. 'You useless, Unwanted piece of dirt,' Aaron seethed. 'You ruined my life with this! When this battle is over, Justine will dispose of me, and it's all your fault! Why couldn't you leave me alone?'"

From there, Aaron definitely becomes an antagonist.  For the first time, he's not just a bit of a jerk, he's actively making choices against our main character. He is angry and wants to make Alex pay.  And the readers are afraid of him.  Because we've seen how intelligent and motivated and creative he is.  We're worried about the lengths he will go to get what he wants, that he'll go through with these things he's thinking. 

And he does, to an extent.  He tries to kill Alex.  The readers realize what's happening just as Alex does.  That his twin hates him.  That his twin is against him.  And we hurt with Alex, because we saw the same good things in Aaron as Alex did.  But we're not as forgiving of him as Alex is, because we've been in Aaron's head, and we know how scared and angry he is. 

"'Well, I'll miss what could have been.' Alex gazed into the hardened eyes of his twin. Aaron stared back and didn't waver. 'You do that.'"

From then on, Aaron's not seen sympathetically by the readers.  He's seen as a villain. 

[thebookworm006]

I need people that are unwanteds fans, people who have their whole personality shaped by these books and based their whole life off these. These were NOT just books these were my happiness and kept me going when i just wanted to die. Thank you Alex, Aaron, Lani, sam, meg, sky, kaylee, thiz, fife, dev, rohan, and THANK YOU LISA MCMANN FOR SAVING ME.

[theoakleafpancake]

Rereading the unwanteds and it just sank in that the people of Quill sent their kids to be thrown in a lake of boiling oil

[lottiesoka]

Lani Haluki

[fireflys-fanfics]

so I’m going to be that one meme for a minute

you all know the one that’s like “I’ve connected the dots” “you didn’t connect shit” “I’ve connected them”

I’m going to be that for a minute

so ok

going on my extreme the Unwanteds obsession

it took me a while to come up with this stupid theory

but anyways

so the main characters are these twin brothers named Alexander and Aaron Stowe

Alexander and Aaron (remember the names ok)

they start off pretty much as enemies

now

we go off American history (y’all might know where I’m going from here)

two people that ended up as enemies by a technicality (ignoring the deleted songs)

duh duh duh

Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr

ok I’m done my dumb theory now move on with your life