Elantris Analysis

I've broken my streak, but in my defense, I composed most of this over last week.
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Elantris. Ah, one of my all time favorite novels. I wouldn't mind being stranded on an island with only this (and my scriptures--those are a given) to read. It has everything you could ask for and more--kind of like The Princess Bride, only better.

The book follows three characters: a hopelessly optimistic undead prince, the widowed princess who has never met her husband, and an overzealous priest whose orders are to convert a nation before they destroy it.

Now that I've given about as much as you'd find on the back cover, I'll try to keep spoilers to a minimum as I discuss the book in a more literary sense.

This book provides insight as to what life is like for those with chronic illness. When an Elantrian is hurt in any way--even if it's stubbing a toe or getting a papercut--the resultant pain is permanent, not fading like normal. The accumulation of injuries, unavoidable as they are, will drive almost every Elantrian to madness eventually. There are a few, though, that learn to keep their heads and find hope despite it all. Those who daily suffer in real life and yet do so much are as--if not more--inspiring as one of these Elantrians with hope.

A huge theme of Elantris is why and how a person takes and uses the reins of leadership. Here are a few reasons/methods explored:
* Out of charity
* To give others hope
* By using someone else's work as a base
* By using another as a figurehead/distraction
* By toughening up to the situation
* As a means of elevating of oneself
* As preventive action
* Because of a grudge
* By less than moral means because the end justifies the means
* To save lives
* By uniting people against an enemy
* To protect family
* To fulfill a promise
* Because they can get things of monetary worth
* Because they are the only ones with the skills necessary
* To extend an empire
* To stop chaos from ruling

Most of the characters in Elantris exhibit at least one of these at one point or another. Some are successful leaders and some are not. Good intentions do not always indicate a good leader. Good actions make the best leaders. However, even the best leaders do not always have success.
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I feel like I should apply the Rule of Three here, but I can't think of anything right now for which I won't be able to conceal the spoilers. So, prepare for Elantris Analysis Part 2, which will completely spoil your reading experience! Yay!