fifth head

Dave Tallman · 31 May 2008, 20:16 · from 2008-May.txt.gz

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From: davetallman at msn.com (Dave Tallman)
Date: Sat, 31 May 2008 14:16:55 -0600
Subject: (urth) fifth head
In-Reply-To: <1212212843.4840e66b83a80 at webmailapp4.cc.utexas.edu>
References: <1212212843.4840e66b83a80 at webmailapp4.cc.utexas.edu>
Message-ID: <4841B237.7080007 at gmail.com>

dwallach wrote:
> Hey guys, this is my first time writing on this thing. I've just recently been
> introduced to Gene Wolfe (I finished Shadow and Claw a few days ago and am
> reading Fifth Head of Cerberus while I wait for S&C in the mail). Anyway, I
> just finished reading the first novella and I'm honestly kind of clueless as to
> what that last line means (spoiler to those who haven't read it): "someday
> they'll want us". Who is Number Five referring to and what does the line mean?
> Thanks, and hopefully when I finish S&C and the rest of the Sun books I'll be
> writing more.
>   
Welcome, David. You can probably find many more detailed answers in the 
archives, but my take is that Number 5 has become just like his 
"father." Just as Maitre hoped to raise his family in the social 
hierarchy through his clone experiments, Number 5 will do the same with 
his new clone. "Someday they'll want us" means someday his family will 
rule. Someone once said "The definition of insanity is to keep doing the 
same thing, and expecting different results."

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