“The Hawk’s Flight” Summary (Ch. 7)

Okay, so “The Hawk’s Flight” is just as jam packed as “Hunted”! I don’t know about you, but things are getting interesting and even more complicated in Ged’s life. Here is my summary of “The Hawk’s Flight” (also known as chapter 7).

Ged wakes up in an unfamiliar tower and is misses his staff and pet otak. He doesn’t recognize his hostess immediately, but we get a hint as to who she is (remember that little girl who tricked young Ged into summoning a shadow?). Her true name is Serret and she is the wife of Benderesk, the lord of the Terrenon.

Even though the shadow can’t come after him as long as he is in the castle, Ged thinks he failed because he ran away from the shadow.

Serret tries to play another trick on Ged. She shows him the magic stone name Terrenon that isn’t evil according to Serret, and she tries to convince Ged he needs darkness to defeat the shadow. Ged, however, argues that only light can defeat the shadow. It is now when he finds out that Serret and Benderesk were both conspiring against him, that Serret was conspiring against Benderesk, and that Benderesk is going to kill both of them.

Serret turns into a seagull and tries to fly away, but she is caught and killed by Servants of the Stone. Ged stays to fight, but eventually flies away in the form of a falcon.

Ged ends up in Gont in his falcon form and is found by Ogion, who recognizes Ged and helps him recover in his human form. Two things you need to think about: (1) Why can’t Ged beat the shadow if he can beat magicians, dragons, and evil stones? and (2) How did the shadow know Ged’s true name?

Most importantly, Ogion tells Ged that he has to stop being the hunted and start being the hunter. Why? Because Ged is the only one who can defeat the shadow. After some thought, Ged makes up his mind and goes hunting for the shadow.

The picture shown is one of the many book covers of A Wizard of Earthsea. In my mind, this is what I picture when Ged faces the shadow one last time. Do you agree?

DISCUSSION POINT: What does Ogion tell Ged about changing to animal form? Do you agree? If you could change into any animal, what would it be and why?