Juturna

Jeff Wilson · 10 Jul 2008, 03:20 · from 2008-July.txt.gz

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From: jwilson at io.com (Jeff Wilson)
Date: Wed, 09 Jul 2008 22:20:04 -0500
Subject: (urth) Juturna
In-Reply-To: <BAY103-W531B07F26650DBEE4E4015D7960 at phx.gbl>
References: <BAY103-W531B07F26650DBEE4E4015D7960 at phx.gbl>
Message-ID: <48757FE4.4080701 at io.com>

b sharp wrote:
> 
> One support for Jeff Wilson's idea that Juturna is Severian's sister could be their shared pale white skin. 
> In my view, another would be their bizarre sexual attraction for each other, since I suspect Severian's 
> family is so cursed to feel that way about each other.

uncanny attraction between long-lost siblings is fairly common in 
literature and not unknown in RL

> This story is full of liars but I tend to believe Juturna when she describes Abaia as her (and her sisters')
> "father-husband".  If there is any correspondence between the undines and the Corn Maidens of the 
> Naviscaput story, we may believe the undines aren't really very loyal to their incestuous father, Abaia and
> might lean toward Severian and the New Sun.

This could be a habit of speaking for an adopted sister. It may also be 
that Jut and Sev are half-siblings rather than full.

> If  Severian is Juturna's brother, is he  to be considered a son of Abaia?

Unlikely, or he wouldn't be at a disadvantage underwater even the first 
time.

> I think a real hurdle for this theory to overcome could be Idas.  She is so tall as a child it implies that undines
> are large by nature, not as a result of being sea-dwelling.  If siblings why would Juturna be so big and Severian
>  normal sized?  Also, if undines were pinched off we would think they could be of any size. But Severian's 
> encounters with Juturna and Idas also suggests that undines are extremely large by nature, not subject to choice.

It's part of the longevity-by-growth theme. Many sea creatures live and 
grow for an indefinite period; lobsters, for instance, grow about 1 lb a 
year and have been found up to a couple hundred pounds. Baldanders 
redsiscovered this principle and ended up joining the undines under the 
water because his weight became prohibitive.

There is also the property of aquatic life to limit their growth 
according to the size of the habitat.

So...Idas live underwater, growing taller than a man by the time she has 
noticeable breasts, and then is sent onto The Ship. Juturna is larger 
because she's been living underwater longer. Merryn, an undine 
changeling many generations descended from the corn maidens is brought 
up on land and is stunted because of it, but still has the youthful face 
from undine longevity.

-- 
Jeff Wilson - jwilson at io.com
< http://www.io.com/~jwilson >

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