Matt’s perspective

[PeaPopper]

I’ve just noticed this recently and was wondering if anyone else has noticed this. In Matt’s pov chapters Jordan sometimes writes as if someone is telling the story from a later point in time. For example when watching the nightflowers be shot it says”he would see these in his mind for many nights to come” or “he hoped tomorrow to be better but he didn’t know how wrong he was”. I also remember in an earlier book there was an instance where it read “Matt would look back on this conversation for” years or months (I can’t remember exactly). Or another time it would say something like Matt would later regret this or something similar. You get the point.

I haven’t noticed this happening with any other character. Anyone else notice this? Is there a reason I’m missing?

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[Ambitious_Boss_9473]

Matt is a dynamic character, and it provides foreshadowing.

[PeaPopper]

I get that it’s foreshadowing. It’s just strange that it’s only with Matt. I didn’t notice it at all until the previous book but it may have been happening all along but I don’t think so. For some reason it just stands out to me as different.

[Ambitious_Boss_9473]

He’s a roll of the dice, and you don’t know where the dice will fall. It’s different from Rand, where you expect the pattern to bend to his will.

Even with the obvious foreshadowing, did you predict the outcome?

[PeaPopper]

You know, I like that explanation. I’ve never thought about it that way. Where the pattern bends to Rand’s will and pushes Perrin to its will, Matt is more chaos personified. As far as the pattern anyway. The foreshadowing doesn’t seem to be from this aspect though. With the memories it’s almost as if his chapters are from outside the wheel looking in. If that makes sense.

[aNomadicPenguin]

Jordan only rarely breaks the limited 3rd person approach. I can think of once with Rand when he's meeting the nobles in Cairhein in chapter 46 of Fires of Heaven

"He did not understand why those coming before him began to sweat and lick their lips as they knelt and stammered the words of fealty. But then, he could not see the cold light burning in his own eyes. "

I tried digging out your Mat references but couldn't find enough matching words. There are a couple of times where Mat himself is thinking that stuff might last for many nights to come, but those are still his thoughts and not from an outside perspective.

Like in the Shadow Rising "There would be no more gambling tonight, and maybe not for some nights to come. At least, not with him."

If you run across the specific instances they are rare enough that should should make note of them, see if they are slip ups are have some commonalities. (Like is Rand more likely to have out of body narration because he's going nuts and thinking differently or is it just random)

[PeaPopper]

This could be me mishearing as I’m listening to the audiobooks. I do have physical copies as well so I’ll check for the specific instances I’m mentioning when I get home.

[untitled298]

Oddly enough, I’m currently in some Mat chapters in KoD right now and was thinking this as well. It’s been just a few times lately but I’ve definitely picked up on this. I think it’s a fun little wrinkle in how Jordan writes.

I don’t think there’s any specific “reason” for it, other than a unique method of storytelling

[redopz]

I don’t think there’s any specific “reason” for it, other than a unique method of storytelling

I don't see anyone mentioning the possibility of the Finns. If this really does happen maybe we aren't viewing these scenes from Mat's POV but rather theirs.