Shadow, Chapter X

Adam Thornton · 13 Nov 2008, 14:54 · from 2008-November.txt.gz

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From: adam at io.com (Adam Thornton)
Date: Thu, 13 Nov 2008 08:54:59 -0600
Subject: (urth) Shadow, Chapter X
In-Reply-To: <606884.13175.qm at web59609.mail.ac4.yahoo.com>
References: <606884.13175.qm at web59609.mail.ac4.yahoo.com>
Message-ID: <BE27DAC7-D425-4907-B7A8-0D46CBBB37DD at io.com>


On Nov 13, 2008, at 6:01 AM, Matt Teel wrote:

> I've checked the archives, but don't see that this has been  
> discussed: what do you all make of the enigmatic reference at the  
> beginning of Shadow Chapter X (The Last Year), where Severian and  
> Roche are leaving the House Azure and the white-haired man pulls out  
> something that Severian assumes at first to be an icon, but then  
> discovers is a vial shaped like a phallus?
>
> Possible foreshadowing of his becoming Autarch?  I don't know.  Even  
> if it is foreshadowing, it should make sense within the scene  
> itself, but I can't quite figure it out.
>
> Anyone want to guess?
>

I always *thought* this was the vial full of the alzabo memory-drug  
that Severian will have to drink in _Citadel_.  The phallus....well,  
it is one of the two active principles required to engender new life  
(admittedly of dead people), the other being BRAAAAAINS, and of  
course, the Old Autarch has lost *his* procreative powers.

Adam
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