The Knight in Rusty Armor

While the first two chapters provide exposition on the character of the knight and the internal conflict of his journey’s beginning, these chapters contribute to the rising action as the knight embarks on a journey toward personal development that is both literal and metaphorical. He faces challenges that encourage him to realize how his life has been harmed by his refusal to confront his fears and highlight his need to embrace The Importance of Introspection for Self-Improvement.

This realization begins when Merlin shows the knight two paths, symbolic of the crossroads he is at in life. If he continues down the path he came from, which represents the way the knight currently operates in the world, it only “leads to dishonesty, greed, hatred, jealousy, fear, and ignorance” (25). This is the first time the knight has been confronted with the potential lasting consequences of letting his life be ruled by fear, beginning his journey to undertake The Struggle With Personal Fears and Doubts. While the knight could not previously see how his current “path” in life was leading him toward such attributes, Merlin’s presentation of them as literal paths in the woods helps the knight realize that, in addition to hurting others, his armor hurts himself. Merlin asks how long it has been since he “felt the warmth of a kiss, smelled the fragrance of a flower, or heard a beautiful melody without [his] armor getting in the way” (24), illustrating how the knight is not able to appreciate even the simplest pleasures in life because of the barriers the armor creates. Merlin’s frank assessment forces the knight to realize that although he may think of himself as safe within his armor, he is also missing out on life as a result. Realizing this brings him to the conclusion that he has “to get this armor off for [him]self” (24). Previously, the knight was only trying to get his armor off because Juliet gave him an ultimatum; seeing Merlin’s two paths is the first instance in which the knight realizes that he should be striving for self-improvement for his own sake.

The knight has to reckon with his limitations and fears as he begins to face the castles on the Path of Truth. The novella discusses the theme of The Role of Friends and Family in Personal Development by exploring what one’s friends can and can’t offer them on their journey to self-improvement. For instance, when the knight is disappointed by the size of the Castle of Silence, Rebecca tells him, “When you learn to accept instead of expect, you’ll have fewer disappointments” (31). Friends can often offer words of advice or recognize patterns in someone’s behavior from a more objective perspective, helping that person realize what they need to work on. Both of these things are true about Rebecca’s words to the knight, demonstrating the kinds of support friends and family can offer during development and growth.

However, the narrative also makes it clear that the knight’s support network can’t do the work for him. When they approach the castle’s entrance, Squirrel says, “We can show you the door […] but you have to walk through it alone” (32). This shows how even though friends can help someone gain perspective on their behavior, it is still ultimately that person’s responsibility to do the work of improving themselves. This work demands silence and introspection, highlighting the theme of the importance of introspection for self-improvement. The knight’s first challenge is to embrace “quiet,” realize he has “always been afraid to be alone” (38), and understand how his behavior has made his loved ones live in their own “castle of silence” (39). While the knight initially sees the castles as a series of challenges he must overcome, the Castle of Silence establishes the fact that the journey toward personal development requires contemplation, as it is always shifting. The king offers the knight perspective when he says that each time he passes through the castles, he finds “new doors as I understand more and more” (37), emphasizing the ongoing nature of personal development. With the king’s insight, the text reframes self-improvement as a series of interrelated steps on a continuing journey, rather than the discrete quests that comprise the knight’s usual knightly tasks.