Father Inire as Dionysus

Lee Berman · 26 Oct 2011, 12:47 · from 2011-October.txt.gz

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From: severiansola at hotmail.com (Lee Berman)
Date: Wed, 26 Oct 2011 08:47:29 -0400
Subject: (urth) Father Inire as Dionysus
Message-ID: <SNT123-W14D5E89AD030BAE530B283CFED0 at phx.gbl>

>Sergei Soloviev: I think I've been answering Lee, but I cut off upper part of the 
>message.

Yes, when I first saw your mention of "Kim" I was confused. I thought maybe you had
mixed up Mowgli and the Jungle Book with that other Kipling novel.

>>I don't get this. What resemblance does Hethor have to the Trojan 
>> Hector who was a brave and noble prince
>> and warror? I don't think WOlfe would pick this name just for the 
>> heck of it.
>> (I did find one obscure reference to a Hethor who was sort of a 
>> demonic magistrate called an "Astra". his term started around 50 
>> B.C. and lasted 140 years. Not especially interesting though.

> I think you are trying to associate symbolic significance with every 
> name in BoTNS. I think that
> (like "kimleesong") it is just reference to our time and our culture. 
> Hector is sufficiently
> common name. Maybe there is also some irony. (Not very heroic he is, 
> Hethor.)

Though I corrected you before, you again insinuate that I am attempting to inject my own
meanings into the text. Again I tell you I am not. I am trying NOT to. I am only
interested in Gene Wolfe's intentions. My extensive research into Gene Wolfe biographies and
interviews reflects this purpose.

If my own personal perceptions get into the picture on occasion it is an error. One which I 
hope to correct. I appreciate the help in making the corrections. It seems there are some 
who find everything I write to be in error and are  trying to be very helpful in pointing my 
complete and utter misunderstanding of Gene Wolfe. Thanks.

I don't think Kim Lee Soong has mythological significance in this story. But Gene Wolfe was
stationed in Korea during the war and I suspect he did not choose it as a casual throw-away.
I think the name probably has significant personal importance for him. If he is willing to
put "Gene Wolfes" into his stories and inject his family members here and there why wouldn't
he also put his friends in, now and then?

I don't think every single name in the Sun Series has deep, symbolic significance. But many do
including most of the main characters, of whom Hethor is one. There is symbolic significance to
the names Thecla, Dorcas, Inire, Agia, Catherine, Talos, Baldanders, The Cumaean, Typhon, 
Palaemon, Isangoma, Tzadkiel, Apheta, Abaia, Erebus, Fauna, etc. etc. .

Hethor is the name of a minor demonic magistrate and we are told his real, concealed name is
something much older. But I am supposed to think Gene Wolfe means his real name to be "Hector" 
simply because that is a common name? (it isn't common in the USA, btw). Sorry, but this 
does not sound like Gene Wolfe to me. Especially not in the Sun Series in which names and naming
systems are of such obvious importance.

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