How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #4
"You have great power inborn in you, and you used that power wrongly, to work a spell over which you had no control, not knowing how that spell affects the balance of light and dark, life and death, good and evil. And you were moved to do this by pride and by hate. Is it any wonder the result was ruin?" (4.78)
Archmage Gensher lays out the problem for Ged: sure, you're powerful, but you're not totally in control. Plus, being powerful isn't enough – you have to be a little more thoughtful (that is, less of a proud jerk). This might be part of Ged's coming of age.
Quote #5
Ged's voice shook as he spoke the name, yet he spoke it clear and loud. At the sound of it, the old dragon held still, utterly still. (5.77)
After Ged releases the shadow in Chapter 4, he has a few failures: he can't save Ioethe, and he's constantly worried about the shadow. After those defeats, it's nice that we see him overpowering a dragon. This is a total confidence-booster, and a good reminder that Ged is really powerful. But notice also how Ged overpowers the dragon: he doesn't use brute force – he uses his education.
Quote #6
But little by little, though Ged kept up the spell, the magewind slackened, growing feebler, until the ship seemed to hang still on the waves for a minute, her sail drooping, amid all the tumult of the rain and gale. (6.11)
Ged's magical power is not enough to face the magical power of the Nine Masters and their spells. If we were riding high on Ged's triumph over Yevaud the dragon, here we're faced with another situation in which Ged isn't powerful enough.