[OB] Why does Szeth identify with his grandfather instead of his father

[SzethIsBadAsHell he/him]

Regarding Szeth’s name. Szeth son son Vallano. I take it to mean that’s his grandfather .  Szeth son naturo And that’s his father. Does everyone agree? I’m sure truth less is a status perhaps adopted as a name . I don’t know who Vallano is but he must of been great Szeth would rather associate himself with his grandfather , rather than his father!!!  Does anybody know why he prefers his grandfathers name as opposed to his dad, if I’m interpreting this correctly ! Was his father also truthless.

[CrazyRioter she/her]

I think it's cause his grandfather is dead so he can't be disgraced by being associated with Szeth.

[Toaster Retribution he/him]

I think @CrazyRioter is in the right here. It has to do with him being disgraced and cast out of Shin society.

[SzethIsBadAsHell he/him]

25 minutes ago, Toaster Retribution said:

I think @CrazyRioter is in the right here. It has to do with him being disgraced and cast out of Shin society.

So because his grandfather is dead he cannot be disgraced by Szeth truthless status? Hmmmmm, so that means Szeth father is alive. So it’s not that he values his grandfather more he is just trying to protect his fathers reputation! Ok got it.

[Quantus he/him]

Do we have another Shin as a counterpoint, one that does identify with the direct relative?  I could see it just as easily being an entirely common Shin thing where they only associate with dead ancestors rather than living relatives, not because of his specific shame but just because they dont call back to the living culturally. 

[Calderis he/him]

34 minutes ago, Quantus said:

Do we have another Shin as a counterpoint, one that does identify with the direct relative?  I could see it just as easily being an entirely common Shin thing where they only associate with dead ancestors rather than living relatives, not because of his specific shame but just because they dont call back to the living culturally. 

Every male Shin name listed in books is structured "name-son-name" and females are "name-daughter-name" 

Szeth is a singular anomaly. 

[Spoolofwhool]

Relevant.

Quote

“Do not call me by my father’s name,” Szeth said. “He should not be sullied by association with me.”

- Way of Kings, Interlude 6

 

[BitBitio he/him]

Unless Vallano himself did something bad

[Calderis he/him]

3 minutes ago, BitBitio said:

Unless Vallano himself did something bad

I think it's just a traditional thing. While this doesn't say that Vallano did nothing wrong it does show that he was not Cas bad as" Szeth. 

Quote

unknown

Was Vallano, Szeth's grandfather, also a Truthless? And if not, what did he do to disgrace the Shin?

Brandon Sanderson

No, Vallano was not Truthless.

Szeth was a very respected member of his society, once. There are clues to what happened in his story, but you won't hear it in full until he gets his book. (Which will include his flashbacks.)

source

 

[Jace21 he/him]

My headcannon is that Szeths father is one of the stone shamans.

As a leader of his people it would make even more sense that he would want to distance himself from Szeth.

While we know little of Shin culture, being the son and possible heir of a stone shaman would also explain Szeths training with the Honourblades (all 10 surges) and being referred to in the WoB as "very respected" before he became a truthless.

[Szmit]

I would say this isn't to focus on grandfather, but just to distance himself from father. It seems like calling someone 'son Neruto' would be a more indirest way to call Szeth. Just feel likeif he wanted to be associated with his grandfather he would call himself Szeth grandson Valano, not Szeth son son Valano.