The Devil in a Forest

David Stockhoff · 19 May 2009, 14:30 · from 2009-May.txt.gz

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From: dstockhoff at verizon.net (David Stockhoff)
Date: Tue, 19 May 2009 10:30:06 -0400
Subject: (urth) The Devil in a Forest
In-Reply-To: <mailman.68358.1242741493.12296.urth-urth.net at lists.urth.net>
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Message-ID: <4A12C26E.1070002 at verizon.net>

I think there is more to it than just how sneaky his propaganda is. Sure, Wolfe is propagandizing, as always---but he doesn't just propagandize for a narrow segment of the political spectrum, and he rarely makes things as black and white and baldly allegorical as you seem to suggest. Rather, he asks questions and examines the moral aspects of the range of answers. 

Almost by definition, an interpretation of Wolfe that keeps it simple---says "Wolfe is pro-gun," for example---is going to be inadequate, even if not flatly wrong.

In other words, don't lose the forest for the trees, even if there is a devil hiding in them.

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Message: 5
Date: Mon, 18 May 2009 22:41:30 -0500
From: "James Wynn" <crushtv at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: (urth) The Devil in a Forest
To: "The Urth Mailing List" <urth at lists.urth.net>
Message-ID: <322A6386203C478F871C5C0BEAD76770 at eMachinePC>
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> >"Propaganda" may be just the right term for Wolfe.
> >Originally it was a term used by the Vatican for the
> >propagation of the faith. It's come to have a cheaper meaning.
>   

I use the term "propaganda" to mean "the attempt to persuade at the 
non-rational level". It has a bad rap because it is typically so inartfully 
done. The idea is to have the audience only stew in the well-seasoned juices 
of the argument so they rationally convince themselves at a later time. You 
have to _demonstrate_ while exhibiting the self-control never _to tell_. 
"The Devil in a Forest" does that. If the work is essentially framed in a 
"message", rather than metaphor, the audience is forced to approach the 
propaganda on a rational level and it loses its much of its power. For 
example, Woody Guthrie's "This Land is Your Land" is fantastic Communist 
propaganda (if you know all the verses). Pete Seeger's stuff is 
hack-work--if he had a hammer, he'd hit you over the head with it.

> >...tDiaF ends with a miracle -- the only "fantasy" element in the book...
>   

I even wonder whether it *is* the only fantasy element. There are subtle 
hints that the stories of Mother Cloot being able to fly might not be mere 
superstition at all.  And at least twice it is noted that she *is* 
unexpectedly light. It is a tip to the hat that Evil is also not merely a 
fantasy element. Still, certainly the only _overtly_ non-rational event is 
the abbe's healing.

J. 

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