Closed Roads

Son of Witz · 01 Jan 2011, 04:04 · from 2010-December.txt.gz

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From: Sonofwitz at butcherbaker.org (Son of Witz)
Date: Fri, 31 Dec 2010 20:04:48 -0800
Subject: (urth) Closed Roads
In-Reply-To: <4D1E8589.5010409 at io.com>
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Message-ID: <8E813629-E0C6-406C-899A-37640B004C2E at butcherbaker.org>

On Dec 31, 2010, at 5:38 PM, Jeff Wilson <jwilson at io.com> wrote:

> On 12/31/2010 6:54 PM, Son of Witz wrote:
>> I think I just had Gestalt-O-Vision with the "Closed roads"
>> What the hell is the purpose of the closed roads?
>> 
>> The closed roads seem to represent how there is no growth, only stagnation. No new paths.  Society's dead body with stalled arteries.  works for me at least.
> 
> The old Autarch says they closed the roads to paralyze the social order. I assume this means that not being free to travel easily, the bulk of the people are stuck with their lot.
> 
> It doesn't exactly represent stagnation or death so much as the only stable solution that has been found; he lists the other alternatives that suck more.
> 
> -- 
> Jeff Wilson - jwilson at io.com
> 

Of course, that is the ploughman's meaning. I think my explanation aims for sooth sayers meaning.  All that you said is true.

Sometimes I find it easier to see the symbols if you can map the themes out and retell the story with them, sometimes like a cheesy movie trailer. 
In that spirit:
 "In a world where the sun is dying and the Urth is cold, in a shut down kingdom where there is no hope and the roads are closed, one man comes to forge a new path to the future, as well as to the past."
(is that cheesy enough? Did you read it in that trailer guy's voice? It works best that way.  I heard he just died.)

So that's all I'm saying. They represent, plotwise, exactly what you laid out. I just never saw the thematic purpose. I'm convinced most every plot element is there for such a reason.

~witz

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