Subject: (whorl) Inhumi Secret

From: Jim Jordan <jbjordan at gnt.net>
Date: Wed, 09 Aug 2000 20:06:15 +0000

the inhumi. They must learn to die for each other, but in this narrative,
also to die for the inhumi. It's not just the golden rule, but being
willing to lay down your life for your enemies, as Jesus did.
	I submit that the eucharist the Outsider leads Horn to perform indicates
that this will turn out to be the answer. That's the meaning of the
eucharist, for by eating the death of Jesus into ourselves, we become able
to die for our enemies as He died for His.
	That's why the secret is so hard. Humans will find this the hardest thing
of all to do. It's harder than loving each other, because it's easy to love
the lovable. Or, it's the toughest kind of love.
	When humans become willing to die for their enemies, and inhumi acquire
this characteristic from them, the inhumi will be willing to die rather
than destroy humans. This will "destroy" the inhumi, though I suspect it
will not annihilate them but transform them somehow.
	I bet that Horn gives his life for Jahlee before it's all over.
	I also bet that when it's all over, the Memoirs of Severian, the Book of
Silk, and the Book of Horn will be seen as a progression. Severian never
really learns much about love, and certainly never dies for anyone. He does
grow and mature, but not as much as Silk. Silk makes much more progress,
but Horn will make the most. The triptich of their lives will make one
thematic narrative of personal growth and maturation into Christlikeness.
	I cannot help but think of the Casher O'Neill stories of Cordwainer Smith,
though I don't know if these influenced Wolfe at all. They deal with
politics, spirituality, and religion progressively, as "On the Gem Planet"
is a "mirror for princes"; "On the Wind Planet" is about conversion; and
"On the Sand Planet" is about the application of that conversion back into
the world. In a very broad way, Wolfe's three narratives follow the same
kinds of themes: in the real world, apart from the real world (on the
whorl), and back into the real world. Just a thought.
	But I'll bet I'm right about the secret.

Patera Nutria

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From: Adam Stephanides <adamsteph at earthlink.net>
Date: Wed, 09 Aug 2000 23:11:31 +0000

Jim Jordan wrote:
> 
>         I submit for your consideration that the secret is that men must die for
>[snip]

I don't think that this is the secret, for a couple of reasons.  Fr one
thing, it doesn't fit several of the things we know about the secret: it
doesn't explain why the inhumi drink human blood, it doesn't have
anything to do with Krait's mother drinking from Sinew, and it doesn't
explain the Neighbor's remark on p. 21.

For another thing, iirc (I don't have the book with me) in OBW Horn says
explicitly that if humans could use the secret it would turn the inhumi
back into the unintelligent predators they originally were.  So if
humans did come to "love the inhumi," they would presumably refuse to
apply the secret (since the inhumi have no wish to lose their
intelligence). 

--Adam

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From: William Ansley <wansley at warwick.net>
Date: Wed, 09 Aug 2000 22:31:36 +0000

At 8:06 PM -0500 8/9/00, Jim Jordan wrote:
>the inhumi.

Nutria,

You know, I really like this idea. It seems somehow very right. The 
only problem with it is that I really find it hard to see how Horn 
could have used it as a credible threat against the inhumi. They seem 
to have a pretty realistic idea of what humans are capable of, so I 
don't know why they would be at all worried about Horn telling this 
fact to anyone else. And way would anyone else believe it?

Frankly, after reading IGJ, I no longer believe that Wolfe has any 
intention of directly revealing the secret of the inhumi in the last 
book, so we will probably be able to keep up this guessing game 
indefinitely.

William Ansley
-- 
William Ansley

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From: Jim Jordan <jbjordan at gnt.net>
Date: Thu, 10 Aug 2000 09:45:41 +0000

>book, so we will probably be able to keep up this guessing game 

	Yeah, you're probably right on both counts. That's what happens when you
stay up too late and get inspired to write a post.
	I'm still inclined to think what I wrote may turn out to be a theme in the
book, but perhaps not the secret. If the secret is something that Horn
could pull out of the hat and apply instantly any time he wants, then it is
not something that humans have to mature into, but a technique of some sort.
	And I agree that we're not going to be TOLD the secret.

Nutria