The Two Coins

Lee Berman · 14 Aug 2010, 13:40 · from 2010-August.txt.gz

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From: severiansola at hotmail.com (Lee Berman)
Date: Sat, 14 Aug 2010 09:40:31 -0400
Subject: (urth) The Two Coins
Message-ID: <SNT123-W600A052417E0EFCAD6CFE0CF990 at phx.gbl>

>Gerry Quinn: 
>No, there was positive ID from Ouen's locket, and lots of supporting 
>evidence.  Also the narrator plays detective and finds this out with no 
>particular reason for us to doubt it, which IMO is a literary signal that 
>this is canon.
>The hypothesis that Dorcas is Severian's grandmother has distinctive 
>characteristics that many such hypotheses lack...

That Severian seems to be actively investigating his family tree does add
a somewhat unique aspect to this puzzle. Boatman as grandfather, Ouen as 
father and Holy Katharine maid as mother joins in this aspect. (I must
wonder why the Boatman, alone, remains unnamed).

Perhaps we were only meant to identify these four guys and and no other family 
members. Perhaps identifying sister Severa was always meant  as a red herring.

I admit I'd rather assume Wolfe is not so generous to his readers with 
Clupea rosea.  Especially  since I find plausible candidates for sister, 
aunt and cousins. But no way to know for sure.

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