Scythe Chomsky

Scythe Chomsky
Biographical information
Date of Death/Gleaning	January 1st, Year of the Capybara
Place of Death/Gleaning	Tonist monastery
Physical description
Gender	Male
Hair Color	Blond
Genetic Index	Predominantly Caucasoid
Mass	Large
Affiliation
Occupation	Junior scythe
Mentor	Scythe Goddard †
Robe Color	Orange with rubies sewn on
Patron Historic	Noam Chomsky
Alignment	New order

Scythe Chomsky was a junior scythe from the MidMerican Scythedom.

Biography

Scythe Chomsky was a junior scythe under Scythe Goddard along with Scythe Rand and Scythe Volta. Like Goddard, Chomsky was a new order scythe who enjoyed the art of gleaning.

Chomsky was gleaned by Rowan Damisch in a Tonist monastery, along with Scythe Rand (who survived) and Scythe Goddard (whose head was later revived on Tyger's body.)

Personality

According to Volta, Chomsky was brainless brawn. He didn't have a conscience, and had no illusions of having one, either. He seemed to be rather impatient and prone to being slightly defensive when questioned.

Gleaning method

Scythe Chomsky's preferred method of killcraft was by catastrophic induction using a flamethrower. He was very fond of it, and it was his signature weapon. Chomsky would burn down buildings and structures in his gleanings, and beyond that his uses of it are unknown.

Appearances

• Scythe
• Thunderhead (mentioned only)

Trivia

• Originally Scythe Chomsky's robe color was red. When Neal Shusterman saw the cover of the book, he felt that if he made Chomsky red, it would give him too much importance, because everyone would think it was him on the cover. So he chose to not have a red scythe at all in the first book and left the cover as symbolic of scythes in general. In book two, however, he did put in Scythe Constantine, whose robe is crimson.
• Author Neal Shusterman has referred to Scythe Chomsky's fans within the Arc of a Scythe fandom as "Chomsky-ites".
• Chomsky was not brought back like Rand and Goddard were because Neal Shusterman felt that anyone who gleaned using a flamethrower deserved to die; the popularity of the character surprised him.
• Neal once considered the possibility of a Chomsky story for Gleanings, inspired by fan interest. However, he has since stated that he currently has no ideas for a story about the character, despite feeling he should have one.
• It is implied he might like swimming, given his comment on a large estate probably having a decent-sized pool.