Severian's sister/ancestry - query.

Jane Delawney · 06 Aug 2010, 01:16 · from 2010-August.txt.gz

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From: jane_delawney at sky.com (Jane Delawney)
Date: Fri, 06 Aug 2010 02:16:06 +0100
Subject: (urth) Severian's sister/ancestry - query.
Message-ID: <4C5B6256.2020608 at sky.com>

Just wondered if any more knowledgeable person on the list had any 
suggestions about this query, which has bugged me for years.

Severian speculates early in *Shadow* that the elders and masters of his 
Guild must have information on the ancestry / antecedents of newly 
recruited apprentices. Indeed this is highly likely given the 
recruitment methods of the Guild which takes its apprentices solely from 
amongst the children of their 'clients' (victims). We get only brief 
insights throughout the four volumes of BOTNS into the bureaucracy of 
the Commonwealth, and less than that into the records kept by the 
Seekers of Truth and Penitence; but there *are* records, and we are not 
given any reason to doubt that early speculation on Sev's part.

So - well, when Severian becomes Autarch, he has, effectively, total 
command of the Commonweath and its various bureaucracies. He has the 
Words and he has the authority. After ten very, very successful and 
popular years in power (he is by that time 'Severian the Great' after 
all) he has likely won over many early hold-outs who may have 
disapproved of his succession or of the Autarchy in general (though I 
doubt he's won over the 'Agiatii' or whatever they are called after 
Vodalus's unlamented demise ... what wouldn't I give to hear more about 
this no doubt epic struggle!). So one may assume that most if not all of 
the Commonwealth's bureaucracies are his to command.

He has 'reformed' but not abolished his old Guild; also of note, since 
there would have been no need for a wholesale destruction of records 
during a mere 'reformation'. One would hope indeed that the Autarch's 
representatives would have been able to prevent such a thing had it been 
thought of.

So ... why on Urth, with the  power and authority invested in him as 
Autarch, does Severian not require access to the records of the Seekers 
of Truth and Penitence, and thus learn beyond any doubt just who are his 
parents, his grandparents, and his sister? The flip answer is of course 
'because GW does not want us to know', but I hope for more than that. 
Sev could have asked, and he would have been obeyed. He doesn't ask.

Why? Any ideas?

jd

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