# Severian's Family

*The Urth list — 3 messages, 3 voices, 10 Jul 2008*

<https://urth.darkrealm.vip/thread/urth/5097>

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### O'Donnell, Tim BOSI
*10 Jul 2008, 15:01*

Brunian asks: > >>Jolenta is his sister? Cyriaca is his aunt? Agia and Agilus are his >> cousins? > >>Is there any evidence for any of this in the book? > > I don't know!!! I think so. And I'm not alone in that. But maybe that's > just > because I/ we were looking for evidence. From my first readings of this > series > I felt we were meant to identify members of Severian's family. For those > who don't > perceive that challenge the evidence will seem circumstantial or even > manufactured. And Wolfe ain't tellin'. > 
I am extremely skeptical about all of this. If Wolfe intended any of it, there would be better and more solid clues, like the ones linking Severian, Ouen and Dorcas. . > 
_________________________________________________________

To be fair, there is plenty of evidence.  It is all in the archives, Mantis and Agia did a huge amount of work on this and there is some to strong evidence of all these relationships in the books.  There is also the suggestion that Severian may be his own grandfather (the rush basket Dorcas has with her when Severian meets her for the last time) though this is not as strong.

I am not sure what you mean by better and more solid clues.  Wolfe himself stated that he leaves only one clue for the reader.  For instance in 5HOC there is only a single clue that the prisoner in the room next door in the final story is the prisoner's mother.





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### Greg Bates
*10 Jul 2008, 16:05 · in reply to O'Donnell, Tim BOSI*

I have not heard that one. Care to enlighten me?

On Thu, Jul 10, 2008 at 11:01 AM, O'Donnell, Tim (BOSI) <
Tim.O'Donnell at bankofscotland.ie <Tim.O%27Donnell at bankofscotland.ie>> wrote

>  For instance in 5HOC there is only a single clue that the prisoner in the
> room next door in the final story is the prisoner's mother.

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### Roy C. Lackey
*10 Jul 2008, 19:16 · follows Greg Bates*

>> O'Donnell, Tim (BOSI) wrote:
>> There is also the suggestion that Severian may be his own grandfather (the
>> rush basket Dorcas has with her when Severian meets her for the last time)

though this is not as strong.<<

I'm afraid I am the one who came up with that theory. I later recanted,
largely because of the time element. It was only about six months between
Severian's first and last sighting of her, and I wouldn't stoop to using
time travel to make up the difference. <g>

-Roy

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