originally posted in:Collective Of Knowledge
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I'm about to talk about a useless consumable that was given to everyone by the biggest downer this Festival of the Lost, Eris Morn. Of course, I'm talking about a Tiny Box of Raisins.
Now, you might be saying "What? Why...?" Well, as you may have noticed, Eris was less than festive during the Festival. Even when you go to collect candy from the Tower Residents, she gives you raisins and says "I am bidden to give you dried fruit", meaning she was forced to give you at least something for Halloween and decided this to be the better alternative.
While this may be Bungie's little jab at people who give out raisins, toothbrushes, and other non-candy treats for Halloween, it also is a commentary on Eris Morn's mental state after her descent into the pit and her opinion of the Festival of the Lost.
Let's first look at Eva Levante. She offers one perspective of the Festival of the Lost in the Grimoire card:
[quote]“To live is to experience loss,” Eva said. “My husband and child are dead. My friends, my neighbors, the children I watched over on our road to the City... all gone now. The festival celebrates their lives with both joy and sorrow.”[/quote]
Her view on death is very similar to the views of the Mexican Día de los Muertos, or [url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Day_of_the_Dead]The Day of the Dead[/url]. She is remorseful of their deaths, but she isn't distraught over it. Instead, she remembers them fondly, staying positive. (Little theory as to why that is in spoiler.)
[spoiler]Eva Levante is of Spanish origins, her last name being Spanish for an area of the Mediterranean. It is also another Spanish word for "East" besides este. The East is also the direction from which the sun rises, hinting at her constant positive personality, because she is always on the bright side. (Of course I could be over complicating this and it could be that her last name was chosen simply to identify her as a Spaniard.)[/spoiler]
Now, Eris Morn acts as a foil to Eva Levante when it comes to the Festival of the Lost. She believes the Festival is similar to the Hive rituals which celebrate death.
[quote]"Festival of the lost. I supposed the Hive are not the only ones that Celebrate Death."
It is a time for mouring the lost, and yet everyone is....smiling. And you people say I'm disturbing."[/quote]
Eris Morn is also in a constant state of mourning (go figure) for her five dead comrades who she descended with into the pit, and the thousands of Guardians who died on the Moon who attacked Crota's army (also known as the Great Disaster).
[quote]"Every day for me is the Festival of the Lost...without the candy."[/quote]
To her, our happy faces and the brevity of our mourning must seem like we are less paying the respects to the dead and more using the occasion as an opportunity to have party games (a criticism of modern holidays/celebrations).
Now, onto Raisins. Eris Morn does not see the purpose of giving us candy. In fact, she views them as hindrance:
[quote]"Sugar is a fickle friend."
"Candy is nothing but lies."
[/quote]
However, Raisins are a mostly healthy snack! Perfect for your Guardian to eat and become more powerful! (Ironically, they are the only consumable without a purpose).
That's all I have on my new favorite consumable. Make sure to keep them safe, or [url=https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/3e/5f/2d/3e5f2de5067f4b43559e4d4783b9474c.jpg]else[/url]!
Shoutout to my clan "Collective of Knowledge" for inspiring me to do stuff like this. Also, thanks to Ashen Conflux and The Lore Seekers. Couldn't have done this without any of them!
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Levante also means to "get up" or "rise" in Spanish. I'm from Spanish decent and have never heard of the "east meaning"