Sev's family tree

Gerry Quinn · 27 Jan 2011, 19:58 · from 2011-January.txt.gz

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From: gerryq at indigo.ie (Gerry Quinn)
Date: Thu, 27 Jan 2011 19:58:19 -0000
Subject: (urth) Sev's family tree
References: <SNT123-W9E7B47FC8C54680A16738CFFF0 at phx.gbl>
	<749A6CD9-DCDD-4C80-91B6-570D29BF1E37 at butcherbaker.org>
Message-ID: <49E52632152C445C9CEE70E978CE168D@jill>

  From: Son of Witz 
  No no, I'm not condescending. I think so often readers are looking for everything to be something other than what it seems, while they often overlook the symbolic import of what it seems.  Does that make sense.  If it seems condescending, well, I do feel that the symbolism of Casdoes house and how it relates to Severian's family (or ideas of family) is quite evident within a plain reading of the text, and seems, to me, to be a more useful path to understanding than, say, as to doubting the very identity of a throw away character.  I mean, that next level might be interesting, but I think what I've described is a more applicable reading. FWIW.
I agree with this.  I'm not too sure about the metaphors with regard to the altitude of Severian's path through the mountains, but I like your interpretation of Casdoe's house.  Another pointer comes before Severian reaches the house:

"I knew that when I saw the dog himself he would be like Triskele; and so he was, with four legs instead of three, somewhat longer and narrower in the skull, and more brown than lion-colored, but with the same dancing eyes and wagging tail and lolling tongue."
He identifies the dog as a sort of counterpart of Triskele, even though clearly the dog is not Triskele.  He is imagining an alternative Severian, a Severian with a family - but there is no need to appeal to time travel or alternate universes, nor even to chains of long-lost relatives, to realise why Severian might have such thoughts.

[The author even adds a personal touch later on, when the two Severians talk about the Big Wolf and the Little Wolf.]

- Gerry Quinn

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