Father Inire: teratoid

Gerry Quinn · 16 Dec 2010, 18:03 · from 2010-December.txt.gz

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From: gerryq at indigo.ie (Gerry Quinn)
Date: Thu, 16 Dec 2010 18:03:25 -0000
Subject: (urth) Father Inire: teratoid
References: <SNT123-W151469D2FBB1DDB3D2C363CF140 at phx.gbl>
Message-ID: <6183F900A3FF49D2B62809092EE46920@jill>


From: "Lee Berman" <severiansola at hotmail.com>
>
>>Gerry Quinn- It may just be alienese for 'quantum reflector' or whatever 
>>the proper term
>>for the mirrors is.That the sign seems teratoid to Severian may not 
>>reflect its true meaning,
>>even if it is intended as a hint to the reader that monsters can lurk in 
>>mirrors.  Then again he
>>associates the symbol with cacogens, whom he thinks of - at least at this 
>>time - as monsters.
>>An actual meaning of 'monsters' seems a bit unlikely, especially engraved 
>>on
>>every panel.
>
> Since this entire story is from Severian's point of view, we can only 
> discern meaning based on what
> he understands and what we think he doesn't understand but we do. He wrote 
> BotNS as an experienced,
> knowledgeable Autarch. We are often left unclear whether he is reporting 
> his later interpretations of
> things as this knowledegable ruler or his interpretation of events as they 
> happened to him as a
> young Torturers journeyman.
>
> I'd guess the symbols were put on the panels by their maker. If I had to 
> guess who made them I'd guess
> Father Inire and they serve as a maker's mark. If Severian chooses to call 
> these symbols "teratoid" it
> might be that he understands Father Inire better than we think or know.

One problem with interpreting 'teratoid' as Inire's mark is that nowhere 
else in the books is such a mark associated with him.  There is no clue 
needed here either - we are expressly told that this part of the House 
Absolute is Inire's domain, and we are told elsewhere about his mirrors.

And it doesn't seem long since people were insisting that Inire's 
identifying mark was a monkey!

- Gerry Quinn

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