Twin again

Jeff Wilson · 09 Aug 2010, 01:24 · from 2010-August.txt.gz

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From: jwilson at io.com (Jeff Wilson)
Date: Sun, 08 Aug 2010 20:24:52 -0500
Subject: (urth) Twin again
In-Reply-To: <4C5F46DB.5080101 at sky.com>
References: <4C5B6256.2020608 at sky.com>	<4C5B8549.9060606 at io.com>	<4C5CB384.1050104 at sky.com>	<4C5D411E.5010607 at io.com>
	<4C5F46DB.5080101 at sky.com>
Message-ID: <4C5F58E4.5010501 at io.com>

On 8/8/2010 7:07 PM, Jane Delawney wrote:
> Witches (because a girl). As I've already mentioned I think GW provides
> the reader with so many hints and suggestions re: Sev's name and the
> possible existence of a sister that I can't think why he would have done
> this, unless we are supposed to assume that he did in fact have a
> sister. Otherwise, why bother? Just to be able to turn around and say,
> 'Ha ha, fooled you?'
>
> Can't see it somehow.

There's a sister somewhere, but that doesn't mean the clues to her 
identity have to be where Severian can find them, just where the 
*reader* can find them.

> and he did have a twin sister, the delivery - by natural means, or by
> the Guild's rough form of C-section as the text suggests - of twin
> babies, one of each sex and one taken or given to be raised by each of
> the sibling Guilds would surely be a notable event, and I can't see it
> not being recorded.

He was probably being brief for the benefit of his listeners at the 
time. The guild would not perform c-sections on *every* pregnant woman 
who comes into their hands regardless, that could be extra punishment 
without orders. But after the woman has passed, the restriction no 
longer prevents them from opening her body to take the babes.

> It's always possible of course that Catherine was subjected to this
> rough surgery and that consequently, only one of her twins survived. If
> so, why keep harping on the 'twins' theme? Unless of course the (IMO)
> wild suggestion that the mandragora is Sev's twin happens to be correct.

Nah, there's likely no shortage of aborted fetuses in Nessus, and there 
seem to be viable fetuses kept at the Witches' Keep, some must go bad 
now and then. Besides, the mandragora's been locked in the alchemy lab 
for centuries.

I'm sure there's a sister *somewhere*, but even if we figure it out,
that doesn't mean that Severian ever would.

>> Severian's lack of mention of a sister
> Though people who came into contact with him keep suggesting the
> possibility, over and over again.

I'm speaking in particular of the final sections regarding Dorcas, the 
boatman, and Ouen, the natural times for him to mention his sister with 
regard to his new information.

>> suggests to me that either he came without one, or that any on record
>> are no longer locatable.
> This on the other hand is entirely plausible. Sev as Autarch could have
> requisitioned the records and discovered that he had a sister, given to
> the Witches, who was not named at birth (because the Witches would give
> her a name) and was therefore untraceable. This bit of information would
> close out all kinds of hints and suggestions within the four volumes;
> but it's not given.

The Witches are also a service guild of the Autarchy, and he would 
simply go to their tower and have their records opened. In fact, I 
suspect he would do so regardless. If the sister were dead, given his 
fascination with the mausoleum he almost certainly would have had the 
body moved there from its humble grave, or at least have had some kind 
of closure worthy of recording. So, the sister must surely still be 
missing as far as he and the Witched know.

> I still find this odd. Further comments more than welcome, this stuff
> (alongside plenty more in the books) has puzzled me for years!
>
> many thanks to all who have replied and hopefully I don't have to
> explain yet again why I have altered the subject line (sticking to one
> thread at the moment because I don't want to confuse more than one of
> them).

Have you considered using one of the free mail services? Or reviewing 
your posts via the list archives?

-- 
Jeff Wilson - jwilson at io.com
IEEE Student Chapter Blog at
< http://ieeetamut.org >

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