Books not only provide entertainment but also teach readers lifelong lessons. In The Sea of Trolls, Nancy Farmer teaches readers that while there are many obstacles in life, staying true to one’s beliefs is the most important thing to do. Throughout the novel, Jack not only imparts his wisdom to others but also learns a great deal about other cultures. Between berserkers, troll queens, and the brutality of nature, Jack’s life will never be the same.
As the novel begins, the reader is introduced to Jack Crookleg, a young farm boy. The Bard, a powerful magician, had taken a liking to Jack. Because of this, Jack was able to leave his conservative father’s farm and his old life. Under the Bard’s dictation, Jack began to flourish. Just as he had
…show more content…
He set off on yet another quest with his new berserker companions, Thorgil and Olaf. Ironically, the same berserkers who kidnapped him decided to help him. In order to ensure his return, Frith held Lucy captive with the promise that she would be sacrificed if he did not figure out how to bring back her precious hair. Because he was only an apprentice, Jack did not have the skill or knowledge to bring back Frith’s hair. Therefore, the trio traveled to the Mountain Queen’s Land. Once there, they set off to find the Mimir’s Well. The Mimir’s Well holds the key to all knowledge. However, knowledge was not all that Jack gained from his trip to the troll lands. In the Mountain Queen’s kingdom, Jack learned that sometimes it is better to look on the bright side of things, even when all else is bleak. The troll people, no matter how vicious, walked through like with a certain zest. Their lives contradicted Jack’s greatly because his conservative father often talked about how suffering was the key to being a good person. “ One thing I do know,” the Queen went on. “ To ignore the joy while it lasts, in favor of lamenting one’s fate one’s fate, is a great crime.” (349) Here he learned that bringing joy into someone’s life and keeping it bright in his own is the greatest