Actually, I really like the Thomas Covenant character. I know that he may be perceived by some as being very whiney but considering his illness, losses and the abuse that he's suffered, is it really surprising that he should be bitter? I thought he summed up quite well what it was like to be chronically ill. I can't tell you how many times people would ask me what my disease was and I always cringe. All I have to do is say "it's an autoimmune disease" and the inevitable next statement would be "you mean like AIDS?" and a step backwards. I always had to correct them but the people who responded like this usually continuously treated me as if I was carrying some deadly, contagious disease. My experiences with hair stylists has been the worst.

People have a tendency to view those with disease as "unclean" somehow. Experienced it myself. That's why I think Thomas Covenant was dead on.

Stephanie

In every man there is something wherein I may learn of him, and in that I am his pupil.--Ralph Waldo Emerson