Why are the Fremen staggered that Paul gives his water to the dead?
I’ve read the book as well and I don’t remember it answered there. Clearly, the Fremen would greatly appreciate one of them to cry tears if someone died because they are used to economize water but they know that Paul is an outworlder so they have to know he has different customs. Or are they ignorant about the abundance of water on other planets?
Best Answer
There is certainly a built-in aversion to ANY wastage of water amongst the Fremen.
Jessica, hearing the voices, felt the depth of the experience, realized what terrible inhibitions there must be against shedding tears. She focused on the words: ‘He gives moisture to the dead.’ It was a gift to the shadow world – tears. They would be sacred beyond a doubt.
Dune - Frank Herbert
As for the Fremen being ignorant of water on other worlds, some of them may be more aware than others, particularly those who interact with otherworlders and even there it's unlikely they would have seen an offworlder crying.
However, the vast majority of Fremen, and there are many more than anyone had previously been aware, are desert-dwellers and have had no interaction with anyone not of Arrakis previously and so would not be aware of norms outside of their experience.
Pictures about "Why are the Fremen staggered that Paul gives his water to the dead?"
How did Fremen get water?
To obtain as much water as they need to survive, the Fremen have developed stillsuits to prevent the body from losing more than a thimble's moisture a day. Their people show their loyalty to their tribe by sharing the bond of water. They even strain their dead to salvage the water from the cadaver.Why are the Fremen so powerful?
The Fremen had developed such formidable fighting abilities through years of surviving both the harsh environment and attrition wars against the Harkonnens that they were deemed superior even to the Corrino Sardaukar forces.What race are the Fremen?
The Fremen themselves are a futuristic amalgam of various POC cultures according to Herbert, primarily the Blackfeet Tribe of Montana, the San people, and Bedouins.Does Paul cry after killing Jamis?
In the books, after killing Jamis during the amtal, Paul cries. This shocks the Fremen, who see this as "giving water to the dead", the greatest of sacrifices in that arid land. This inspires such respect that he is welcomed into the tribe.DUNE: Why Couldn't Paul Stop The Jihad?
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Toa Heftiba Şinca, Julia Volk, Pixabay, Pixabay