Subject: (urth) Number Five Is Not Gene, Maybe Not Wolfe

From: Jeff Wilson <jwilson at io.com>
Date: Fri, 22 Mar 2002 07:13:04 +0000

I have reread 5HC a couple of times lately, and some things Do Not Add
Up.

When Mr. Million calls the roll in FHC, Number Five is always first,
then David, as a formalism. This suggests that his name comes
alphabetically before David's. This =might= mean that David's last name
comes later than Wolfe.

When questioned about his name by Maitre, Number Five speaks the two
words that he identifies with himself in an unqualified fashion. If
these two words were also Maitre's name, he would not have such an
unquestioning association. So, does Maitre go by a different name than
Number Five's, or does Number Five not know what his father's full name
is, even around the age of 12? If so, how does he expect to find one of
his father's books by author's name?

David cannot be established as Maitre's son at the probate hearing, but
Number Five's is not questioned, nor is Aunt Jeanine's relation to
Maitre. Does David has a different last name from Maitre? If so, why
does Number Five still think of him as his brother for so many years,
=unless= there is some ambiguity of last names on the sister planets.
The "original" settlers are identified as French, but the conquerors are
only said to be English-speaking, IIRC. Perhaps they are some
anglicized  future version of a patronymic culture, like Iceland? That
would explain Phaedria's coloring, at least.

Finally, I've never seen a picture of Gene Wolfe that suggested anything
like the thin, pale, sharp faced people described in 5HC. 

I think that perhaps, Number Five's name is Aubrey Wolfson, while David
may be David Masterson.

-- 
Jeff Wilson
How Am I Posting? 1-800-555-6789
"If your SecOp can see you, so can the enemy." -Cpt Law

--