the point of it all

Daniel Fusch · 09 Nov 1999, 05:16 · from urth-v0028.mbox · original

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From: "Daniel Fusch" <dfusch at hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: (urth) the point of it all
Date: Mon, 08 Nov 1999 21:16:13 PST
Message-ID: <urth-v0028-0435 at digest.urth.net>
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Well, argued, Cliff.

But I disagree.

(snip)
"I have always thought that this story illustrates the fact that there is=20
not always a happy ending, and in  many cases, no 'ending' at all."

Well, if this is the case, then why does this mini-story end with Severian'=
s=20
promise to Foila that he will record, remember, and tell the four stories?=20
By doing this, he ensures that Foila and the rest will live on--will have=20
immortality, via the stories. They will be remembered, even if only in the=20
sense that their stories are remembered. This is Literature in a=20
nutshell--the stories are to be preserved and retold. And because of this,=20
Foila's death is not a complete end. The storyteller has achieved=20
immortality through her story.

So I still argue that the point here has to do with storytelling.

(snip)
"This, to me, is the ultra-refined meaning of
the Urth Books. The Grand Unification Theory, if you will."

I think agree with your notion that the vast and intricate mysteries of=20
Severian's narrative are meant as a Zen-like comment on our final inability=20
to pin down and define life. It seems to me that it is also a comment on=20
storytelling (again!). Either a) there are mysteries because we can never=20
fully know the whole story, or b) there are mysteries because a story can=20
never be wholly and completely told by the storyteller.

In a way, this is saying the same thing as "life is full of things we will=20
never fully grasp" -- but I think this is a commentary on storytelling, as=20
well. After all, storytelling is the human attempt to define life and inves=
t=20
life with meaning. If we can never fully grasp life, it is because we can=20
never fully tell our stories. Modernism is an exploration of this concept=20
(here comes The Sound and the Fury again!).

If you like, the four stories represent four perspectives on life. No story=20
is judged above the others because all four are valid, worthwhile, useful,=20
and beautiful perspectives.

I think this part of Wolfe's work owes more to modernism than to zen,=20
though.

It may be that in the end is merely ridiculous to say "It's not about life;=20
it's about storytelling" or "It's not about storytelling; it's about life"=20
-- because those two subjects are really one subject.

Back to you, Cliff.

--Daniel

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