Sev's common lineage

Dave Tallman · 29 Jun 2008, 12:56 · from 2008-June.txt.gz

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From: davetallman at msn.com (Dave Tallman)
Date: Sun, 29 Jun 2008 06:56:59 -0600
Subject: (urth) Sev's common lineage
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Andrew wrote:
> I want Sev to be related to Casdoe and Li'l Sev. "Casdoe" is so 
> similar to "Dorcas", with the syllables reversed. Li'l Sev asks Sev 
> if he's his uncle, which I don't think makes a lot of sense unless 
> Li'l Sev does in fact have an Uncle Sev. If I'm right and Fechin is 
> Dorcas' father, then at the very least the families have known each 
> other for 70+ years.
>   
Usually Wolfe tries to provide a family resemblance between related 
characters. Fechin was "a tall, wild boy with red hair on his hands, his 
arms." Dorcas is gold-blonde, with no mention of hairiness. Sev and his 
potential sister Merryn aren't hairy either. Dorcas has artistic talent, 
but I don't think that's enough of a connection.

You don't deal with b sharp's identification of Fechin with Father Inire 
and Rudesind.  One or both of those could be true, given their 
monkey-like characteristics. But if so, chances are that the alien could 
not have children with human women.

I'm not sold that "Are you my uncle?" means that little Sev knows of an 
uncle named Severian. He's just hoping for a relative to take care of 
him since he lost his family, in my view.

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