Many works of literature feature characters who have been given a literal or figurative gift. The gift may be an object, or it may be a quality such as uncommon beauty, significant Social position, great mental or imaginative faculties, or extraordinary physical powers. Yet this gift is often also a burden or a handicap. Select a character from a novel, epic, or play who has been given a gift that is both an advantage and a problem. Then write a well-developed essay analyzing the complex nature of the gift and how the gift contributes to the meaning of the work as a whole.
In "Eragon", Christopher Paolini presents Eragon's gift as an incredible power and a great risk in order to illustrate that Eragon's gift has given him great power while putting him in great danger, ultimately showcasing that great power is a double-edged sword.
Paolini begins by presenting Eragon's incredible power which highlights the power he and other people possess. For example, Eragon initially only realizes that he is now the owner of a dragon. Owning a dragon is a great way to be powerful because dragons are typically seen as massively powerful beings. Consequently, since Eragon owns a dragon, he holds a great amount of power. This goes for others who have dragons as well. Furthermore, these Dragon Riders, those who have a connection with dragons, also gain the ability to use magic. This magic is capable of doing anything so long as it is something the user could do with their own energy. For example, Eragon, even as a young teen, could summon a large blast of fire that was able to kill a group of very strong monsters, though he did pass out and nearly died because he was still quite weak at the time. This magic can be used for many smaller and larger feats than this, making it an incredibly powerful tool when fully mastered. Now, with Eragon obtaining such a power, he could go on to master it and become incredibly powerful. These two powerful parts of his gift, a dragon and the ability to use magic, are the good sides of the double-edged sword that is his gift. They are beneficial and even "safe" parts of the sword for the user.
No great gift like Eragon's comes without a risk. This risk is that it makes him a target for those who wish to control him or to kill him in order to remain the strongest in the land. For example, there was the Shade that wanted Eragon to join him to overthrow Galbatorix. This Shade wanted to use Eragon's power to kill Galbatorix and then take his place. as ruler of Alagaesia. This Shade controlling and using Eragon would not be good because the Shade is a being of chaos who would likely ruin Alagaesia. Later on, when those like the Shade and even Galbatorix realized that Eragon wouldn't join them, they sought to kill him. They wanted him dead because he threatened to put a stop to their evil throughout Alagaesia. Both of these risks associated with Eragon's gift are the other side of Eragon's double-edged sword of a gift. They are the side that can come back to hurt him despite it being his sword in his own hands.
Ultimately, Eragon's gift of being a Dragon Rider is a double-edged sword as he does gain access to great power in the form of a dragon and the ability to use the ancient words of power, which is essentially magic, but he also gains enemies who wish to control him or to kill him in order to continue their reign of terror over Alagaesia.