shapeshifting Hethor

mournings glory · 28 May 2006, 21:25 · from 2006-May.txt.gz

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From: mourningsglory at hotmail.com (mournings glory)
Date: Sun, 28 May 2006 21:25:10 +0000
Subject: (urth) shapeshifting Hethor
In-Reply-To: <BAY103-F4099634F012BEB7A052F46D79C0 at phx.gbl>
Message-ID: <BAY107-F14C876283B26235D8B043ED89C0 at phx.gbl>

>From: "b sharp" <bsharporflat at hotmail.com>
>
>mourning glory writes:
>
> >Except that the slug almost certainly perishes in the burning hut of the
> >village of the sorcerors during the duel of magic.
>
>We know the notules got sealed in a bottle. We know the salamander crashed
>down a cliff. The text says nothing about the fate of the slug. Does your
>assumption rest on the fact that the other monsters seem vanquished?

No, it rests on the assumption that the slug's never, ever seen again -- not 
once -- the same as the salamander. Ergo, the most reasonable assumption is 
that it's dead, killed in the fire -- like that parrot in the Monty Python 
sketch, it's bleeding demised.

>Mg you don't say what you base your likelihood and almost certainties on,
>though I think my post on building a mental mosaic applies.  Shapeshifting
>does not fit the picture you have built of Urth and so you discard it
>whenever you see it.

Absolutely not true. I pointed out the likely shapeshifting ability of 
Venant and could make an interesting case for the voiceshifting alzabo; I've 
no trouble with the notion of Hethor being a shapeshifter nor for Mother 
Pyrexia being the degenerate terminus of one such witcherly attempt; and in 
many respects Baldanders, some of the Megatherians, and the undines are 
beings that have chosen to change their shapes. This does not, however, mean 
that Father Inire periodically morphs himself into the two individuals you 
claim just because other individuals are able to shift their appearance.

>For me, your theory (which simply involves mirrors?) ignores important
>questions.   Such as how  a giant slug gets out of and into small bits of
>sailcloth.

Actually, I've never endorsed the mirror theory. In my opinion the slug is 
able to enter the House Absolute the same way the white wolves are, via any 
number of hidden or forgotten entrances; if you'll notice when Severian 
discusses these, it's in the same chapter that he remarks about how he's 
never re-encountered the mysterious Beuzec -- Hethor's other companion -- 
and thereby reasons he's left by these same portals.

>I am not satisfied with my current mental picture of Urth and I am on a
>quest to fill in a lot of missing pieces.  I am documenting that journey.
>I think my posts are best suited for those like me, still questing. If you
>already have a complete picture of Urth and how its pieces fit together 
>then
>my posts may not be of much interest.

Yes, but you're also posting them in an on-line forum devoted to discussing 
the works of Gene Wolfe. I've recently been accused off-list of being a 
bully in here, and hope this doesn't further damage my credibility or rep; 
nevertheless, if you're only interested in applause or self-gratification, 
maybe you shouldn't masturbate in public.

Now please, sir, let's see what you come up with next!

em

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