Closed Roads

Jeff Wilson · 01 Jan 2011, 06:49 · from 2010-December.txt.gz

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From: jwilson at io.com (Jeff Wilson)
Date: Sat, 01 Jan 2011 00:49:23 -0600
Subject: (urth) Closed Roads
In-Reply-To: <8E813629-E0C6-406C-899A-37640B004C2E at butcherbaker.org>
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	<8E813629-E0C6-406C-899A-37640B004C2E at butcherbaker.org>
Message-ID: <4D1ECE73.3060903 at io.com>

On 12/31/2010 10:04 PM, Son of Witz wrote:
>
>
> 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.)

Donald Leroy "Don" LaFontaine (August 26, 1940 ? September 1, 2008)

> 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.

Well, there's a copious buttload of obstacles for the protagonist to 
overcome, it makes for the dying (but not quite dead yet) earth thing 
like you said, and it provides for lots of plot meandering so that there 
is gradual motion in the direction of the greater arc while having 
plenty of time to layer up all of the acquaintances and curious 
happeninigs and other motifs used to build the larger themes of the 
Book, eh?

-- 
Jeff Wilson - jwilson at io.com
Computational Intelligence Laboratory - Texas A&M Texarkana
< http://www.tamut.edu/CIL >

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