Subject: (urth) ground wire

From: Peter T. Cash <ptcash at ibm.net>
Date: Sat, 01 Aug 1998 17:19:59 +0000

Robert Borski wrote:

> I'd like to suggest the following
>about "Silhouette:" in my opinion it's meant to be read as the science
>fiction equivalent of a medieval Mystery Play. Throw in a little Francis

This is a compelling suggestion. The German names would make sense in that
context, wouldn't they? Weren't these plays a Germanic phenomenon?
...
>Neuerddraht--German for "New Earth Wire

Actually, I believe it's better translated as "new ground wire". Perhaps
Wolfe was staring at a German circuit diagram when he was thinking about
this story.

Hmmm. The ground wire is connected to...well...the ground, or the earth. The
inner Earth was traditionally thought to be location of Hell, so the imagery
really isn't inconsistent with your interpretation at all. The ground wire
draws the current down, into the earth, where it is lost.

So if the ground wire is Hell, what is Heaven? The antenna?

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