theory Chapter heading theory

[Farnsworth]

Okay, here's a weird theory:

 

In the Stormlight archives, the chapter headings are super complicated. There is an arch, four pictures of two different heralds, a character symbol, etc. The Roshar system also has three shards in it (Cultivation, Odium, Honor), and therefore the most investiture. 

 

Sel and Scadrial both have two shards, and they have slightly less complicated chapter headings. Elantris has an Aon, and Scadrial has an Allomantic metal. Simpler than Roshar, but they can also be used as a code to interpret what happens in each chapter. 

 

Nalthis has only one shard, and therefore very little investiture. It's chapters have weird pictures of light-colored stripes, which are super simple, but still something.

 

The two novellas have no chapter headings, and also no shards in their planets.

 

Could the chapter headings have anything to do with the amount of shards in the planet?

[A Joe in the Bush]

I'd say that it's probably a coincidence, but this is Brandon, so you could be onto something. But it's still more likely to be coincidence, I think.

[Windrunner he/him]

I don't think the metals are a code that can be interpreted in any way. They're just numbers, especially in Alloy of Law. In the Final Empire at least, I believe they just count up and then repeat.

[Farnsworth]

The metals are numbers, but I think that the Aons are code. It might be a coincidence, but I think that the crazyness and complexities of the Roshar chapter headings mean something, and that was the only correlation I could think of.

[WeiryWriter he/him]

...but I think that the crazyness and complexities of the Roshar chapter headings mean something, and that was the only correlation I could think of.

 

Oh they definitely mean something.  Heralds often feature in the arches of chapters where a member of their order features (i.e. Jezrien for Kaladin, Shalash for Shallan).  The masked man usually shows up whenever Hoid (or another worldhopper, like Mraize) is featured/mentioned.  Heralds also show up when something in the chapter aligns with their divine attributes.  Beyond that there are hints that are connections we don't know about yet.

 

If you go read the WoR Re-Read over on Tor.com they do a section where they talk about this.