Merger

Lee Berman · 28 Jan 2011, 20:11 · from 2011-January.txt.gz

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From: severiansola at hotmail.com (Lee Berman)
Date: Fri, 28 Jan 2011 15:11:55 -0500
Subject: (urth) Merger
Message-ID: <SNT123-W54E2E4EC28C4EC761AD733CFE10 at phx.gbl>

>James Wynn: Isn't it just as arguable that Becan was confused about the reasonableness of reuniting 
>his family in the animal and the used the animal fighting instincts as a tool to protect them?

I think so.

>Jordon Flato: Isn't there a difference in what happens to the 'memories' or 'identities'
>in Severian as opposed to everyone else, including the Alzabo?  Sev has the power to restore life....

I would say that there are three differences to be found in the text between Severian's fleshly 
ingestion of the autarch and others' ingestions. One is, as you mention, that Severian's power of 
resurrection is likely coming into play, making the memory implant more substantial and permanent.

Another is the the analeptic or pharmacon or whatever it is called in the phial of the autarch is 
suggested to be similar but superior to the alzabo extract. (I think it is likely a purified example
of the same stuff- there is something fishy about even the autarch memory-sharing)

Third is that the autarch specifically instructs Severian to eat only his forebrain the "more retentive
tissues" for memory. The Vodalus crowd and the alzabo are eating arms, legs, livers, etc.

All three would seem to combine to make the sharing experience more intense and more permanent (the 
autarch's memories of his predescessors would seem to be fairly permanent). Still, as we see in 
UotNS it isn't so overwhelmingly intense and permanent over time. (thank goodness, or the story in
UotNS would have sucked with constant unnecessary interruptions).

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