Escapism In Morgon, The Prince Of Hed

Escapism occurs when you try to avoid something. It can come in different forms. Some people escape by seeking out alternate activities, some drown themselves in work. Some immerse themselves in addiction. Some physically run away from their homes. Some may even go as far as to migrate to a new place where they can start ‘afresh’. In life, many people try to escape from various things. No matter what they are trying to avoid, these things ultimately catch up to the person trying to outrun them, so it is safe to say one cannot truly escape one’s problems.

In the book Riddle Master, Morgon and Deth go through a series of problems that seem to just surface out of the blue. Morgon, the prince of Hed, starts avoiding his issues before even starting his journey by talking about the stars on his face, “I do claim some choices in my

Morgon always looked at his stars as meaningless, but in reality they were meaningful. “He brought it here because he thought it was bewitched. No one could play it. The string harp were mute until you touched them” (McKillip 54). Morgon sees that he is supposed to be greater than he intended. Morgon realizes that even though he wants to get away from his fate or destiny, he might need to face it. Before the harp came into his mind he is thinking he wants to go back and fix Snog, the pig herders,’ roof. Morgon has no intention to continue his journey “… but Snog would die of uselessness if I took his pigs away from him. I’d better go home and fix his roof”(McKillip 57). When the harp was finally mentioned Morgon paid no attention to it, he even said “I can’t use a harp to fix Snog Nutt’s roof” (McKillip 58). Morgon is so against the idea of becoming anything more than a farmer, he refuses to play a riddle game. His focus is to go home, fix Snog’s roof, and go to bed. He wants nothing less than the mundane life he has grown accustom