The book, The Once and Future King, shows how Arthur learns to become king and also his time as king. In the “Sword in the Stone” Merlyn utilizes Arthur’s experiences to teach him leadership. Merlyn accomplishes this task by transforming Arthur into various animals, such as a perch, merlin, ant, rook, wild goose, and badger. He teaches him through both positive and negative examples to further him in his education to become king. Arthur’s first transformation was into the form of a perch. As this fish he learned many lessons associated with the behavior of the animals around him. Arthur learned to rely on himself as much as possible. This lesson is evident when Merlyn tells Arthur he has to rely on himself, “Education is experience, and the
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As a merlin, he learns to respect those around him, regardless of him agreeing with them. Merlyn teaches this lesson by describing the regiment of birds, “She is the honorary colonel of the regiment. And as for Cully, well, he is a colonel too, even if he is infantry, so you must mind your p’s and q’s” (White 70). This quote demonstrates what he learns because even though Cully is of lower status, he still respects him. He also learns to trust his knowledge and instincts in difficult situations. This lesson can be seen when he is being tested by the honorary colonel and he is not sure of the right answer, “‘What is the first law of foot?’… The Wart thought and thought right. ‘Never to let go,’ he said” (White 73). The last lesson he learned as a merlin was tough times do not last, tough people do. When he endures the initiation to become part of the regiment and he has to do something dangerous, “‘I will stand by the Colonel Madam’… The ordeal was over and the Wart might fly” (White 75-76). This quote shows Arthur learned because even though standing by Colonel was dangerous, because he was mentally unstable, he did it anyways to be part of the regiment. This transformation was one of the hardest for Arthur and the next ones would not be as
As a merlin, he learns to respect those around him, regardless of him agreeing with them. Merlyn teaches this lesson by describing the regiment of birds, “She is the honorary colonel of the regiment. And as for Cully, well, he is a colonel too, even if he is infantry, so you must mind your p’s and q’s” (White 70). This quote demonstrates what he learns because even though Cully is of lower status, he still respects him. He also learns to trust his knowledge and instincts in difficult situations. This lesson can be seen when he is being tested by the honorary colonel and he is not sure of the right answer, “‘What is the first law of foot?’… The Wart thought and thought right. ‘Never to let go,’ he said” (White 73). The last lesson he learned as a merlin was tough times do not last, tough people do. When he endures the initiation to become part of the regiment and he has to do something dangerous, “‘I will stand by the Colonel Madam’… The ordeal was over and the Wart might fly” (White 75-76). This quote shows Arthur learned because even though standing by Colonel was dangerous, because he was mentally unstable, he did it anyways to be part of the regiment. This transformation was one of the hardest for Arthur and the next ones would not be as