Osterlings

David Duffy · 09 Dec 2005, 04:57 · from 2005-December.txt.gz

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From: David.Duffy at qimr.edu.au (David Duffy)
Date: Fri, 9 Dec 2005 14:57:45 +1000 (EST)
Subject: (urth) Osterlings
In-Reply-To: <1f7617370512080930v76f50040kbdcb9ccaf2151001 at mail.gmail.com>
References: <a06230906bfbcc3cb8b95 at 69.85.166.162>
	<Pine.LNX.4.58.0512082034430.26939 at orpheus.qimr.edu.au>
	<1f7617370512080930v76f50040kbdcb9ccaf2151001 at mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID: <Pine.LNX.4.58.0512091454220.12447 at orpheus.qimr.edu.au>

On Thu, 8 Dec 2005, Dan'l Danehy-Oakes wrote:

> Dan R asks if anybody would
>
> > > care to speculate as to how the
> > > dietary habits of the Osterlings figure into the grand scheme?
>
> And David D responds
>
> > Probably for the same reason as historical anthropophagy, to get
> > spiritual/magical power.
>
> Uh, no. The Osterlings are described in the list of names in TK as
> "People who eat other people to become more human." This is
> indeed inhumu-like. This is part of a larger pattern in Wolfe of
> devouring someone to become him/her, which I presume to be
> a series of variations upon and especially perversions of the
> Eucharist.
>
> --Dan'l

This is not that inconsistent an interpretation.  So what's so good about
being human ;)?  Presumably a soul, but how much do you need, and are
there lesser benefits?

David Duffy.

PS A reminder to reread the list of names!

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