Gorgeous Borges
The Urth list — 4 messages, 2 voices, 19 Jun 1998
https://urth.darkrealm.vip/thread/urth/833

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Michael Straight — 19 Jun 1998, 13:45

I submit Jorge Luis Borges's short story "The Immortal" for the those
looking for Lupine precursors. 

The narrator's journey reminds me of tBotNS in ways I can't put my finger
on.  The fictitious manuscript and the characters from antiquity remind
me of the Soldier books.  But most of all, there is that confusion about
the narrator's identity that Wolfe loves so much ("Fondly Fahrenheit" by
Alfred Bester also seems like an important story in that regard).

Is anyone able to better articulate what is so Wolfeish about this story?

-Rostrum

P.S. -- Yes, I know how to pronounce 'Borges'.  It was just a joke.

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Pedro Jorge Romero — 19 Jun 1998, 21:26
  follows, by subject match Michael Straight

Michael Straight escribió:

> I submit Jorge Luis Borges's short story "The Immortal" for the those
> looking for Lupine precursors.
> 
> The narrator's journey reminds me of tBotNS in ways I can't put my finger
> on.  The fictitious manuscript and the characters from antiquity remind
> me of the Soldier books.  But most of all, there is that confusion about
> the narrator's identity that Wolfe loves so much ("Fondly Fahrenheit" by
> Alfred Bester also seems like an important story in that regard).
> Is anyone able to better articulate what is so Wolfeish about this story?

Well, the main character does not know what's really going on... till
the end.

I think "The theologians" is a much more interesting story regarding the
confusion of characters. 

> P.S. -- Yes, I know how to pronounce 'Borges'.  It was just a joke.

Best

Pedro Jorge

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Michael Straight — 22 Jun 1998, 08:27
  follows, by subject match Pedro Jorge Romero

> On Fri, 19 Jun 1998, Pedro Jorge Romero wrote:
> Michael Straight escribió:

> > I submit Jorge Luis Borges's short story "The Immortal" for the those
> > looking for Lupine precursors.
> > 
> > The narrator's journey reminds me of tBotNS in ways I can't put my finger
> > on.  The fictitious manuscript and the characters from antiquity remind
> > me of the Soldier books.  But most of all, there is that confusion about
> > the narrator's identity that Wolfe loves so much ("Fondly Fahrenheit" by
> > Alfred Bester also seems like an important story in that regard).
> > Is anyone able to better articulate what is so Wolfeish about this story?

> Well, the main character does not know what's really going on... till
> the end.

Also, I forgot to mention that the disposition of the immortals when the
protagonist meets them reminds me somewhat of the episode of Stanislaw
Lem's _Cyberiad_ where one of the constructors visits the most advanced
and powerful planet in the universe. 

Has Wolfe ventured a public opinion of Lem's work?  Is he a fan?

> I think "The theologians" is a much more interesting story regarding the
> confusion of characters. 

Mmm. Good one.  It's also more witty, if I remember correctly.

> > P.S. -- Yes, I know how to pronounce 'Borges'.  It was just a joke.

i.e. it doesn't really rhyme with 'gorgeous'.

-Rostrum

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Pedro Jorge Romero — 22 Jun 1998, 11:56
  follows, by subject match Michael Straight

> > I think "The theologians" is a much more interesting story regarding the
> > confusion of characters.

> Mmm. Good one.  It's also more witty, if I remember correctly.

You do. He does not have to explain the ending like in "The inmortal"

> > > P.S. -- Yes, I know how to pronounce 'Borges'.  It was just a joke.

> i.e. it doesn't really rhyme with 'gorgeous'.

Sorry, I was thinking of a different explanation. Borges used to be
called "Georgie" by his family (his mother used to called him that till
a very advanced age).

Best

Pedro Jorge

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