"This Could Be A Real Adventure" (Skeleton Crew 1.1) introduces the adolescent girl Fern, whose name suggests a green plant. The fact that Fern's name links her to the natural world befits her rebellious relationship with her mother, Undersecretary Fara, who represents At Attin's highly technological society – a society that is both governed and policed by droids. Undersecretary Fara's relationship with Fern reflects At Attin's relationship with nature as a whole. She wants to corral her unruly daughter into a neatly defined role in the strictly structured "Great Work" overseen by At Attin's droid Supervisor, just as At Attin's green lawns are carefully circumscribed within the layout of its towns while its citizens are discouraged from venturing out into the uncultivated forest.
In "This Could Be A Real Adventure," Wim is astonished to see Fern drive her speeder off one of At Attin's clearly delineated streets and into the unknown forest. Her example inspires him to try and take the same shortcut through the forest to school, which in turn leads him to discover the buried Onyx Cinder hidden in the woods. Fern's forays into the forest indirectly kickstart the entire adventure that takes the children far beyond the bounds of At Attin's carefully controlled civilization.
It is appropriate that Fern's name evokes greenery: in Star Wars, the color green is associated with what Plato, in the Republic, calls the "spirited part" of the soul. For Plato, "spiritedness" is linked to courage, and to the desire for glory and victory, all of which are prominent traits in Fern's character. When the story begins, she is seeking to win glory in racing competitions against the other youths of At Attin. Throughout, she is consistently concerned with being and appearing strong, whether she is claiming the Onyx Cinder for herself and KB or asserting her authority as "captain" over SM-33. When the other children are overwhelmed by the unfamiliar perils of their adventure in the unknown galaxy beyond At Attin's barrier, Fern is the one who overcomes her fear and courageously leads the way.
EXPLORE FURTHER…
Characters: Fern / Undersecretary Fara
Shows: Skeleton Crew
GO DEEPER INTO THE ARCHIVES…
Concepts: cities / courage / droids / forests / glory / mothers / names / nature and technology / order and disorder
Influences: Plato
Interpretive Tools: Tripartite Soul Theory
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