Keller, as she is always called, is a 17 year old black panther shapeshifter and the main character of Witchlight. She was abandoned as a child but always carries a note left to her by her mother. “People die... Beauty fades... Love changes... And you will always be alone.” Keller lives by this note her whole life. She does not allow herself to become emotionally involved in her work, which is her life. This is understandable considering she was abandoned. Keller is afraid of being hurt and therefore tries to block out all emotion. Keller and her team are on a mission to find the fourth Wild Power, who turns out to be Iliana. When Iliana is told about the Night World and that she is a Wild Power, she goes into denial. Keller reacts to this situation with a very impatient attitude. She does not understand why Iliana doesn’t love the thought of being a Wild Power. Keller often loses her patience with Iliana and ends up saying comments which are hurtful. Keller has a low opinion of herself within the Night World. Shapeshifters are often regarded as lower by some members of the Night World, but Keller believes she is one of the lowest people in the ‘shifters', claiming “I’m just a grunt; I can’t speak for the ‘shifters.” Keller insists to Galen that the only reason that she works for Circle daybreak is because she feels that she owes them. She says she would not save anyone if it put her life at risk of her own choice. Near the end of the book, Keller contradicts herself when she is planning how to save Iliana’s little brother. Galen, a prince of the shapeshifters, is Keller’s soulmate. However, Galen is supposed to marry Iliana to unite the witches and the shapeshifters therefore the ‘shifters would leave the Night World and join Circle daybreak. Galen is the opposite of Keller. He does not like to fight and is very gentle and sensitive. He tries to make Keller realize her true worth and to stop putting herself down so much. Galen has no problem admitting he is Keller’s soulmate, but Keller denies that it is true. She constantly pushes him away because he is promised to Iliana. This makes Keller resent Iliana even more. As the book progresses, Keller admits to herself that she loves Galen but knows she can never have him. In doing this she has broken the rules that she has followed all her life, the consequence being that she is hurt. Knowing she could never have Galen is one reason why she did not care if she died. Keller was willing to be killed by the dragon Azhdeha and save the Wild Power. By the end of the book Keller has changed. She has let her walls down and fallen in love with Galen. She has proven that she would have been willing to save an unimportant human, Iliana’s brother, even though she believed she would get killed. Quotes From: Witchlight by L.J. Smith |
Reflections on LJ Smith |
Since 05/30/02 |