Earth's Children: Difference between revisions

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The novels revolve around "Ayla," a Cro-Magnon woman who lived about 30,000 years ago, somewhere near the Black Sea (modern-day Ukraine). Orphaned at five due to an earthquake, she is taken in by a group of Neanderthals. Auel goes into great detail on the physiology of these Neanderthals, who call themselves the [[Title Drop|Clan of the Cave Bear]] after their primary deity. The main difference between Clan and "Others" (Cro-Magnons) is that Clan have access to [[Genetic Memory]], which makes them quick studies for anything their species already knows but very slow to accept innovation or change. Ayla is adopted by the clan's medicine woman, and her brother, a crippled shaman, learning a great deal of herb lore and practical medicine, but also learns to hunt in direct defiance of the Clan's traditions. Her clan's leader (the brother of the medicine woman and shaman both) accepts her as best he can, able to recognize her talents and skills even if they make him uncomfortable, but when his snotty son takes up the mantle of leadership, the son has Ayla exiled from the Clan (after raping her). This would be easier on 14-year-old Ayla if she hadn't borne a son, Durc, a ''Homo neanderthalensis x sapiens'' hybrid that must be left behind.

 

The novels in the series are:

 

Auel is considered something of an expert on Ice-Age culture, due to the sheer amount of research (and hands-on experience) she has with the practices at hand, such as leather-tanning, flint-knapping and cave paintings. She has attempted to weave into the story as much archaeology from the period as possible, often [[Shout-Out|depicting the creation of known prehistoric artifacts]]. Recurring themes include the differences between Neanderthal and Cro-Magnon intelligence, sapience and physiology, and the racial tensions resulting thereof; Ayla's upbringing in the Clan and the prejudice she is subjected to for that reason; and how she never, ever mentions (except to really trusted friends) her son Durc.

Ayla is an extremely talented cook, hunter, healer and equestrian, and has single-handedly accomplished a number of technological breakthroughs, such as the discovery of making fire with flint and tinder; the domestication of the first horse (Whinny), and the first proto-dog (Wolf); the invention of the travois and sewing needle; and being (one of) the first to make the connection between sexual intercourse and reproduction. Jondalar has also showed fecundity by collaborating with her on the invention of the spear-thrower (atlatl), the sewing needle, horse tack, and "break-away" reusable spears. Thankfully, the pair didn't invent everything: alcoholic drinks are already well known (and a bit of a problem) in the depicted Cro-Magnon societies, a priestess in another tribe is said to have invented earthenware, yet another has accidented soap into existence, and in no particular order other tribally unique inventions/discoveries: charcoal, salt mining, chamois leather, boat keels and rudders.

 

* [[All Cavemen Were Neanderthals]]: ''Definitely'' averted. Cro-Magnons still lived in caves, and Neanderthals knew how to make tents.

* [[The Aloner]]: Ayla for a good part of ''The Valley Of Horses''. She's actually surviving completely alone in the wilderness, using all the skills she learned in the Clan.

* [[I Am Not Pretty]]: Ayla continues to view herself by the Clan standards with which she was raised, according to which she's too tall, unfeminine, and ''very'' ugly. Everyone around her was a Neanderthal, so that's the appearance she's used to. By European ''Homo sapiens'' standards she's actually beautiful, but she can't wrap her head around that.

* [[IKEA Erotica]]: Ayla and Jondalar's increasingly tedious sex scenes.

* [[Jerkass]]: Broud. And no, not in the "sensible character who expresses doubt about the [[Mary Sue]]'s wonderfulness" way, but in the "sadistic, arrogant, out-of-control, all around unbearable" way. By the end of the first book, even his father almost disowns him. Frebec of the Mamutoi Lion Camp is also a Jerk Ass, but it's implied that a lot of his stems from feelings of inferiority, and he turns into a [[Nice Guy]] by the end of the book.

* [[Jungle Princess]]: Ayla qualifies, especially if you believe the Clan are animals. (Jondalar has to teach her to speak verbally.)

* [[Suffer the Slings]]

* [[Thank Your Prey]]

* [[Unlucky Childhood Friend]]: Joplaya. Maybe just as well, considering that, while she and Jondalar are only considered 'hearth cousins' by the overall culture of the Others, the readers know that [[Incest Is Relative|she and Jondalar are half-siblings who share a father.]]

* [[Victory by Endurance]]: Used several times. In one instance a group of hunters tire out a woolly rhinosaurus by each one jumping into its field of vision, making it chase them, and then another person jumps in, etc. At the end the rhino is practically dead from exhaustion, and they finish it off with spears.

 

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[[Category:Historical Fiction Literature]]

[[Category:Romance Novel]]

[[Category:The Eighties]]

[[Category:Literature]]