Dionysus

James Wynn · 05 Dec 2010, 00:09 · from 2010-December.txt.gz

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From: crushtv at gmail.com (James Wynn)
Date: Sat, 04 Dec 2010 18:09:57 -0600
Subject: (urth) Dionysus
In-Reply-To: <65D94824C7E148869B57AC76EC64526B@jill>
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>
>     James Wynn-
>     There is no justification in the story for [Horn's] spirit to
>     subsequently die while Silk's lives. If Silk's spirit dies, his
>     body needs Horn's spirit. And that's what I argue happened.
>
> Gerry Quinn-
> You say there's no justification in the story... but then what do you 
> think happens at the end?  My impression is that Silk returns 
> somehow.  At the least, what remains at the end seems not to be Horn - 
> it might be some kind of merger of Horn and Silk I suppose.

Of course it's not Horn. (I say) Horn died in the pit and even his 
memories--those physically housed in his body--died on Green. By the 
time the Rajan begins writing the story, all that is left of Horn is the 
memory of his memories. Silk's memories live on physically, but his 
spirit has died. It is the Neighbor that continues to animate him. 
Thematically, this is a rationalization of the Trinity. Father, Son, and 
Holy Spirit.

What on first read, might seem to be Silk grieving over Hyacinth (and 
there is some conflation there) is in fact the Neighbor grieving over 
the death of Horn, remembering Horn's remorse at his of loss of future. 
Or perhaps he's grieving over the destruction of his people.

> [I can't say I like the ending of RttW, it's all very Wizard of Oz... 
> but as I said I guess I need another read or two to be very sure of my 
> opinions.] Horn took some bad beats - and weren't there indications 
> before now that he had some suicidal tendencies?

I think you are thinking of Horn leaping from the floater. But Wolfe has 
confirmed that that was mischievous Mucor possessing him, acting on 
Silk's suicidal tendencies. And now that you bring it up, there were 
previous indications of Silk tending toward morbid thoughts.

u+16b9

> As to why Silk's spirit resurrected, I don't know.  Maybe he got a 
> nudge from the Pas part of him ;-)
> - Gerry Quinn

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