Antipolaric brothers

James Wynn · 22 Nov 2010, 16:59 · from 2010-November.txt.gz

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From: crushtv at gmail.com (James Wynn)
Date: Mon, 22 Nov 2010 10:59:58 -0600
Subject: (urth) Antipolaric brothers
In-Reply-To: <AANLkTi=Bc_OL3M5rZ_wiMkouSmuFSJ0CgVcGVzoZCKjm at mail.gmail.com>
References: <AANLkTi=Bc_OL3M5rZ_wiMkouSmuFSJ0CgVcGVzoZCKjm at mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID: <4CEAA18E.7020303 at gmail.com>

On 11/21/2010 2:28 PM, Andrew Mason wrote:
> I've just finished reading BOTLS, which has given me a lot to think
> about; I'll shortly  be re-reading it, and will no doubt be bringing
> up various questions and thoughts that strike me. But while I was
> reading it I had general thought about the series.
>
> In SOTT chapter 21, 'The Hut in the Jungle', Severian writes 'If it is
> true that each of us has an antipolaric brother somewhere, a bright
> twin if we are dark, a dark twin if we are bright...' The immediate
> application of this is rather odd - 'that hut was surely such a
> changeling to one of our cells'. But I'm wondering if it might in some
> way illuminate a series about someone who has a mysterious origin, is
> chosen by [a] superhuman being[s] for a significant task, has a
> death/resurrection experience, becomes lame, becomes a ruler, etc. -
> but is blond, and impossibly high-minded.
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There's something twinny about Silk and Auk that I've never quite been 
able to put my finger on. Thematically, they divide the deeds of 
Hephaestus between them. Narratively, Silk shrives Auk before the 
"solving" of Blood's House. Auk shrives Silk afterward. The very term 
"solving" as an activity is a parallel between them as Silk plays 
detective and Auk is a thief.
I don't know. But I _do_ think there is a meta-connection between Silk 
and Sev as well. I think the fact that Wolfe had the Rajan meet Severian 
and justifies it as necessary in the telling of the story implies that 
this is so.

u+16b9

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