Subject: (urth) Interpreting Peace [ Digest urth.v009.n013]

From: John Bishop <jbishop at alexus.zko.dec.com>
Date: Wed, 22 Apr 1998 10:23:33 +0000

[Posted from URTH, a mailing list about Gene Wolfe's New Sun and other works]

Paul C Duggan <pduggan at world.std.com> asks:

[6] What's with the memos and such nailed to Weer's desk?

I saw this as:

1) saying the office is unchangeable, fixed--it is a memory, not the
   real thing: another hint to the reader that Weer is dead.  It is a
   preserved corpse of an office.

2) the nails are also somewhat cruel, reminding us of "A Christmas
   Carol"'s ghost Morely, who says he "wears the chains he forged 
   in life".  Weer is nailed to his memos.

       -John

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