Father Inire Theory

Lee Berman · 06 Dec 2010, 01:33 · from 2010-December.txt.gz

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From: severiansola at hotmail.com (Lee Berman)
Date: Sun, 5 Dec 2010 20:33:58 -0500
Subject: (urth) Father Inire Theory
Message-ID: <SNT123-W470DAE36D6AFF4D715859CCF2B0 at phx.gbl>

>aaron: I actually wrote to Wolfe about Inire a few months back and his reply was, of course, 
>enigmatic, but also interesting.  I'll post it later--it may be of interest to those here.

It will. I have already been waiting for you to post it, with anticipation.

>Andrew Mason- But the claim that the Hierodules are manufactured for a purpose is
>_not_ just a perspective; it's what it says in the text.

Yes, it says that in the text. But is that all the text says? The text also gives them an angelic appearance 
and their manufacturer an angelic name. This adds another perspective. One is a modern SF view the other is a religious/mythological view. Which is right?  We scientific types have been trained to weigh the evidence 
and pick the *one* best working hypothesis or theory. I am suggesting that perhaps to fully understand Gene 
Wolfe you have to toss science aside at times. If we are given two competing explanations for something, do 
not throw one away. Keep them both and maintain a sense of doubled vision for the fullest understanding of 
what is going on.

>But we are told, quite clearly, that the Hierodules were made for a purpose. They are a very different kind 
>of being from the Hierogrammates.

But we are also told that the Hierogrammates were manufactured (shaped) from lesser creatures by the Hieros.
Someone, (Roy maybe?) suggested that the various stages of Zak/Tzadkiel represent the forced evolutionary stages
which resulted in the Hierogrammates. I think we are meant to see in these groups (and the Hierarchs) an analogy to 
the hierarchy of angels- Archangels, Seraphim, Cherubim etc.

>I am worried about your approach because it seems terribly human-centric. All beings that are rational and 
>non-human are classed together as gods; there's us, and there's all the others. But I don't think that's Wolfe's 
>perspective; for him there are all sorts of different kinds of being, and humans are just one of them.

I will disagree with you in two ways about that statement. First I don't think it is me but rather Gene Wolfe who 
is so human-centric. Other SF writers create a myriad of planets and uniquely created aliens in various shapes, 
sizes, colors and chemical bases to populate them. Wolfe's stories are populated largely, if not exclusively
with human beings. The non-humans are most often patterned on human legends like vampires or salamanders or angels. 
Now and then he shows he is capable of a cool invention like the notule or alzabo but I think they are
exceptions more than rules. Wolfe is more interested in what going on and what has gone on in history right here 
on earth.

Second, you are glossing over the distinction between gods, demons and angels. Even if they have the same source, 
they ARE different. And I think the message is that when we judge sentient beings the most important thing to 
consider is their intention, not their source.

>But I don't think you can make any assumptions about his powers just on the basis of his [Inire] being an alien.

I am not making an assumption. I am proposing a *possible* model to explain some odd occurances in the book.
Father Inire might never been intended as anything more than a simple alien who looks like an old guy. That is
a possibility I keep in mind as I read the book. *With a simultaneous awareness of multiple possible levels 
of interpretation*-  that is how I think think most serious books with religious themes (including the Bible) 
are best understood. So, do you think BotNS contains religious themes?

>But does this [Maxellindis' Uncle=Inire]  not undermine the idea of Inire keeping a constant watch on Severian?

Not if Father Inire has multiple versions of himself around the Commonwealth attending to various tasks. I don't 
think watching Severian is the only purpose Inire has in life. If I had to guess I'd guess Maxellindis' uncle 
has the task of keeping track of undines and maybe Abaia. But he is a pretty low probability suspect on the Inire 
watch list, so I wouldn't want to spend too much time on him.

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