Liars, TWHF

Ouroboros · 18 Nov 1999, 09:05 · from urth-v0028.mbox · original

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From: Ouroboros <ottofaij at yahoo.com>
Subject: (urth) re: Liars, TWHF
Date: Thu, 18 Nov 1999 09:05:58
Message-ID: <urth-v0028-0468 at digest.urth.net>
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<<<<Severian is a liar. He is like all those
oh-so-dangerous-people who are absolutely convinced
that they are Right; *they have no scruples* when it
comes to establishing what they think is
Right--especially when they have the power to impose
their beliefs on others...Who knows how many lies
[Severian] has told? There's no way to know because
his manuscript *is*
tantamount to literary solipsism; there's nothing to
check it against.>>>>>

Gosh, you sound very sure of your opinion about those
people as well as your take on TBOTNS. Hmmmm. Of
course, that's natural, because thesis/anti-thesis is
the only way human beings can reason regardless of
their scruples. It's also the only method we have of
divining reality from delusion.

What's my point? Well, while I agree that Severian's
memory is far from perfect, I'm convinced Wolfe's
memory (for the purpose of this work) *is* reasonably
secure and objective.=20

I'm  unconvinced you have found *any* lies yet. !BUT!
I don't believe you'll find a place where Severian
>>lies<< as the narrator where Wolfe doesn't provide a
clear signal of it in the text. Otherwise, Wolfe would
be permitting himself to play tennis without a net(to
borrow an analogy from Robert Frost). Of course, if
TBOTNS is "literary solipsism" how *could* you discern
a lie, a delusion, or an objective fact (see the
importance of thesis/anti-thesis?). Actually, TBOTNS
seems to me more in the tradition of J. Bach rather
than John Cage.

If you *can* convince me that TBOTNS is "literary
solipsism", you can have my 5 hardback volumes, 'cause
I won't be needing them anymore.

-Ouroboros
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