Subject: (urth) Comments on Hour of Trust

From: Dave Tallman <davetallman at msn.com>
Date: Tue, 20 May 2008 15:41:54 +0000

>>From an interview online Some Moments with the
Magus<http://www.infinityplus.co.uk/nonfiction/intgw.htm>
:*
*

*GW*: "Hour of Trust" was inspired by a Damon Runyon story, "A Light in
France." It's basically an early WWII story, written when most people
expected that world war to be much like the first one. (We tend to forget
that the first and second world wars were only about twenty-five years
apart. We are losing the last WWII veterans; when Hitler's army marched into
France, there were still a whole lot of WWI vets around, including Hitler.)
Anyway, I read "A Light in France" and started playing with the idea in an
SF setting.

General Virdon sounds like "Verdun," a WWI battle notorius for its terrible
casualties. The Frence side went in failing to recognize that the tactics
had to be changed from the last war.

Tredgold, the English model agency manager, may be on the side of the
rebels. He wears "jade earrings and a (phallic) jade pendant." Rebels wear
"exotic, vaguely erotic jewelry." Tredgold may have been the source of the
secretary, Clio Morris. She is twice referred to as a "girl," and all the
models are called "Tredgold's girls."

The name Morris suggests this line from *A Midsummer Night's Dream*, also
quoted in *PEACE*: "The Nine Mens Morris is fill'd up with mud."

The early part is full of foreshadowing:

   1. Clio is good for lighting things.
   2. Force Cougar will be pinned down.
   3. Donovan is right that he can be hired by a European firm when America
   falls.

The starting quote from Proust gives us context to understand how badly the
government side is doing. Their forces are clearly a "composite formation of
odds and ends" sent in where superior forces have failed.

The next two pages give a description of the hotel suite in excruciating
detail. What is the purpose of this? The impression I get is of symmetry and
banality. North and south walls are identically blue; east and west walls
are glass. There are matching cadelabras and pictures flanking the north
door, and symmetrical bedrooms to the south. This symmetry is extended to
the attendees later on: "Donovan was already deep in conversation with a man
who looked so much like himself that he might almost have been talking to a
mirror."

In contrast, the rebel side seems to be pure chaotic individualism. No two
of the ken-kin have the same philosophy. It's appropriate, because they
practice asymmetrical warfare.

The corporate folks are either anonymous, represented by a single last name,
or with first and last names nearly identical ("Lou" Lewis). In contrast we
have Clio Morris with a complete name, foreshadowing her importance. She
also does an individual act unrelated to the presentation -- she opens the
drapes "in order to see the stars" (for the last time). This moment is
described as being like a principal opera singer entering a market scene,
"calling for the thrill of romance or (what is much the same thing) the
defense of France."

Clio seems to be a fanatical individualist. She thinks she is striking a
blow for a new America where initiative and creativity will be important
again. I believe she takes out Peters not because he has the potential to
turn things around, but because she sees he will fail and become another
Lewis.

"You don't remind me of anyone."
"That's good, because you remind me of somebody, Mr. Peters."

But behind the scenes is Tredgold, wearing the jewelry of the cause to fit
in but intent on feathering his nest. His type will take over after the
naive idealists have sacrificed themselves. Meet the new boss, same as the
old boss.
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