Severian's skin color

James Wynn · 22 Jun 2005, 09:08 · from 2005-June.txt.gz

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From: thewynns at earthlink.net (James Wynn)
Date: Wed Jun 22 09:08:31 2005
Subject: (urth) Severian's skin color
Message-ID: <24547557.1119456429149.JavaMail.root at wamui-wigeon.atl.sa.earthlink.net>

Crush said:
>>GW: Because the books would have been lame if they had
>>not. Once you see that Pas is or was Typhon, and know the
>>Rajan can travel by astral projection, he's got to do that.
>>
>>What Wolfe doesn't explain to my satisfaction is why it was
>>necessary. It doesn't seem that obvious to me. I mean,
>>it would seem more obvious for the Rajan to go back and
>>meet Typhon wouldn't it? Or at least stand over his
>>lifeless body. Why Severian?

Chris replied:
>I can think of another way to read this than an implication that the Rajan 
>should go back and meet Typhon. Basically Pas was Typhon, but became 
>something a little different (and perhaps a little more). Recall that Silk 
>at this point is maybe not the original, but comes from "Silver Silk" which 
>supplanted Pas, but probably incorporated at least some elements from Pas. 
>Thus in a certain way the Rajan *is*, or is descended from, Typhon.

>So the Rajan, as a stand-in for Typhon, fittingly gets to visit Severian in 
>his formative years. Though of course whatever influence he exerts over 
>Severian is not what the original Typhon would have chosen.

Hmm...Well, I doubt the Rajan contains 'Silver Silk' (have there been any
proposed etymologies to this title?), and I don't know of any compelling
reason to think SS has any of Pas in him/it.

However, interestingly, I think you are definitely on to something because
I believe Horn is a clone of Typhon. There, I said it.

~ Crush

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