Like a good Neighbor

Gerry Quinn · 22 Nov 2011, 13:34 · from 2011-November.txt.gz

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From: gerry at bindweed.com (Gerry Quinn)
Date: Tue, 22 Nov 2011 13:34:16 -0000
Subject: (urth) Like a good Neighbor
In-Reply-To: <1321938020.55352.YahooMailClassic at web161804.mail.bf1.yahoo.com>
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Message-ID: <58B90555646F4259AA251B4DB4C66204@Rover>



From: Marc Aramini 

> In theory, I don't mind Gerry's skepticism; everyone has their roles.  
> 
> Yet the weirdest accusation was leveled at me today when Wolfe's 
> grocery list came up today: that I would turn potatoes into a left handed s
> ocket wrenches.  But Gene DID write me a very simple three word sentence
>  that is a noun, a linking verb, and a predicate nominative, and I, contrary 
> to that accusation, was the only person in the universe to take it at face 
> value instead of taking it as some engineering joke, a metaphor, etc.  I 
> feel like hard nosed metaphorical dismissal of evidence is more like 
> turning a potato into something else - not what I do.  I believe in symbols 
> of course, but those symbols are something more than just useless metaphor, 
> they can be applied to shape character with their hard, defining edges.
A little joke, and not directed just as you. 
There would have to be a spot on the paper that if you looked closely seemed like a left-handed can-opener.  That?s how you?d know the potatoes were just misdirection and trickery.


> Don't you remember the literary technique Severian talked about?  A torturer 
> paid by one side to make it quick, the other to make it painful, and by positioning
>  them just right, he succeeds - thus does Wolfe speak of narrative, and I see it 
> on this board, (until time holds my own severed head up for inspection.)

A nice metaphor ? but I?m not trying to torture you, Marc.  I just don?t think the books support the notion that inhumi are vegetables.

- Gerry Quinn


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