Alden Weir's Dimensionality

David Duffy · 06 Nov 1998, 00:13 · from urth-v0021.mbox · original

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From: David Duffy <davidD at qimr.edu.au>
Subject: (urth) Alden Weir's Dimensionality
Date: Fri, 6 Nov 1998 10:13:33 +1000 (EST)
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(Maybe it should be Alder rather than Alden -- elm, though then you can't=20
throw in Den)

I have the impression (coming back to the pillow story) that Weir's life
represents a wrong choice at every key point in his life, while Smart=20
makes the correct choices.  Weir's final financial security/success is=20
quite accidental.  Furthermore, his behaviour at the forking points -- on=20
the stairs, outside the freezer room, in the creek-bed -- is quite=20
understandable/forgiveable (coming back to the idea of Purgatorio rather=20
than Inferno).

Also I might raise the two allusions to Cabell (and isn't there one=20
Cabell novel set in Florida?) -- Cabell saw Jurgen as the thinker and=20
Manuel as the doer (Weir/Smart?).  Felix Kennaston in the _Cream of=20
the Jest_ is perhaps even closer, though Wolfe and Cabell's world-views=20
are slightly different. (do I need a smiley?). =20

| David Duffy.                                                    ,-_|\
| email: davidD at qimr.edu.au  ph: INT+61+7+3362 0217 fax: +0101   /     *
| Epidemiology Unit, Queensland Institute of Medical Research    \_,-._/
| 300 Herston Rd, Brisbane, Queensland 4029, Australia                v=20

*More Wolfe info & archive of this list at http://www.urth.net/urth/

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