the points of it all

Daniel Fusch · 09 Nov 1999, 21:50 · from urth-v0028.mbox · original

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From: "Daniel Fusch" <dfusch at hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: (urth) the points of it all
Date: Tue, 09 Nov 1999 13:50:52 PST
Message-ID: <urth-v0028-0446 at digest.urth.net>
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Hi, Cliff!

I just need to disagree with you about ONE more thing. I think you're=20
reading Severian wrong.

(snip)
"I can't imagine Sev *not* judging the contest, had they lived. He's an=20
executioner - very used to making decisions and not getting emotionally=20
invested in the consequences of his judgments. I think he would have judged=
,=20
if the attack had not occured."

Severian tells us, however, that torturers are not supposed to make=20
decisions or judgements. Their task is blind, unquestioning obedience to th=
e=20
decisions passed down to them by the proper authorities. Severian even tell=
s=20
us that he feels extremely uncomfortable when placed in the position of=20
judge, is that he has developed an extreme aversion to judging, so that he=20
is glad when Foila keeps postponing the judgement.

And I would also argue that the death of the contestants does not render=20
their dreams and their desires meaningless at all. Their dreams are=20
preserved in the stories, and their love is preserved through the stories=20
(the stories, after all, were told in order to win Foila's hand--except for=20
Foila's story, which was set against the others). By recording the stories,=20
Severian ensures that their lives--and their deaths--are NOT meaningless.

But I agree with most of your other points.

--Daniel

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