Words of Radiance: Chapter 62

Progression of the Chapter:
Kaladin grumbles at the sameness of the days in prison; Syl has been hiding from him; she speaks of seeing a Cryptic at the fight, and that she recognizes signs that they are looking for someone to bond; Dalinar enters the room, and Kaladin salutes despite himself; Dalinar assures him that he’ll be out in a few more days, but Kaladin expresses doubt, given Elkohar's history; Dalinar knows immediately that he’s speaking of the silversmiths in Kholinar, and mentions the Roshone affair; Kaladin asks for further information, and Dalinar gives him a brief version; Kaladin phrases his response in terms that fail to allow Dalinar to understand the personal impact Roshone’s exile had on him; Dalinar reminds Kaladin that, however things should work, the way they do work means that challenging Amaram was an ineffective approach to changing them; Dalinar leaves, and Kaladin focuses only on the fact that Elhokar’s poor decision-making inadvertently cost his family their comfortable position in Hearthstone, and decides that it would be best for the kingdom if Elhokar were removed.
Quote of the Chapter:
When things don’t work the way they should, by all means, work to change them – but ignoring the way they work won’t change anything ... except changing your status from "free" to "imprisoned."
Commentary:
This is the meat of the chapter, as Dalinar unwittingly fills in the final arc that brings Kaladin’s and Moash's backstories into a loop.
"The Roshone affair." In The Way of Kings: Chapter 37, Lirin said, "I still don’t know which highlord was behind sending him here to torment us, though I wish I had him for a few moments in a dark room ... ." Now Kaladin knows, and with the backdrop of Lirin’s anger at whatever highlord inflicted Roshone upon them, it’s no wonder he holds Elhokar partially to blame for what his family suffered from Roshone’s malice.
Questions:
* Was it a good thing for Kaladin to bring up Elhokar’s past errors? Is his own situation (keeping Dalinar in mind) sufficient justification for more or less accusing Elhokar of intending to leave him to die in prison?
* Should he have told Dalinar about his own Roshone connection? Would Dalinar have done anything differently? Would telling the story have changed Kaladin’s perspective? Would it have made any difference in Kaladin’s decision to support Moash’s assassination plans?
* Is this an overuse of the lack-of-communication plot device, or is it a justified use, or is the device irrelevant to the situation? (i.e., lack of communication isn’t really the problem here.)
Dalinar's reaction to Kaladin’s claim that Elhokar " ... has a history of letting inconvenient people rot in dungeons until they die ... " should reveal something to Kaladin and to readers. That was an isolated incident. While Elhokar does indeed have a real history of taking advice from the wrong people and making truly atrocious leadership decisions, this is not one he repeated. Dalinar instantly knew exactly who Kaladin was talking about: the silversmiths back in Kholinar ... meaning it only happened that one time.
This is not to say that Elhokar didn’t have other people unjustly imprisoned, or that he didn’t thoughtlessly make a mess of many lives by doing favors for those who flattered him. Clearly, someone learned something from that debacle, and either Elhokar was smart enough not to repeat it, or Dalinar (and/or Gavilar) was smart enough to keep a better eye on his nephew (or his son).
Kaladin, of course, only sees that Elhokar’s past foolishness ended with his own family’s maltreatment by Roshone, and connects it with the tantrum Elhokar threw after the big fight and his own imprisonment. As a result - despite Dalinar’s wise words about loyalty and generosity and the flaws of all men - Kaladin decides he’s qualified to determine the course that will be best for the welfare of the kingdom and Dalinar himself.
Also, if Dalinar’s "I was ... away at the time ... " is referring to his trip to the Nightwatcher, said trip had nothing to do with Gavilar’s death.
Stormwatch:
This is Kaladin’s tenth day in prison.
Sprenspotting:
Kaladin sees captivityspren: " ... strange spren like taut wires crossing before him."
Syl has become very hard to spot, largely a matter of her discomfort with Kaladin’s current attitude and the distance he’s put between them. However, she’s still talking to him.
This conversation is definitely significant!
Heraldic Symbolism:
Nalan. Likely his presence reflects Kaladin’s conclusion that "justice" requires getting rid of the king, presuming to know what’s best for the kingdom.
- Paraphrased from Alice Arneson