The Land Across Discussion (Spoilers!)

Antonin Scriabin · 12 Dec 2013, 18:42 · from 2013-December.txt.gz

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From: kierkegaurdian at gmail.com (Antonin Scriabin)
Date: Thu, 12 Dec 2013 13:42:32 -0500
Subject: (urth) The Land Across Discussion (Spoilers!)
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"5. (This last one is the most out-there)
When excerpts from the book first appeared, there was some discussion here
about the oddness of the narrator's voice. His vocabulary certainly seems
more limited than a lot of Wolfe's narrators, and, especially at first, his
voice sounds a little off. I half-wonder if this is a clue, as per
Christopher Simon's suggestion that the narrator has forgotten he's
involved in a plan. There's mention of the Legion possessing translation
machines, but it's never really followed up on. Is it possible that,
contrary to what he tells us, Grafton isn't writing in English, in
Massachusetts, for an editor in New York? But, if that were the case, what
purpose is being served by the ruse?"

On this note, it was also interesting that a number of characters in the
opening chapters assume Grafton is German.  Why would they do this? Accent,
mannerisms?  I don't have the book in front of me, but I remember two or
three minor characters  thinking that he was German right off the bat, not
American.



On Tue, Dec 10, 2013 at 7:00 PM, Matthew Keeley
<matthew.keeley.1 at gmail.com>wrote:

> A few thoughts: (spoilers)
>
> -
> -
> -
> -
> 1. A quick Google search shows me that "Grafton" is "derived from the Old
> English graf meaning 'gorve' and 'tun' meaning enclosure." However, with
> all the Germanic stuff in this book, as well as the apparent presence of
> vampires and Vlad the Impaler, I was reminded that "Graf" is also German
> for "Count." Perhaps there are fangs in the Grafton family tree, perhaps I
> am reading too much into it.
>
> 2. When the the Legion kidnaps Grafton, they first ask themselves in, but
> Grafton refuses, steps outside, and is kidnapped. There's no indication
> that they ever enter The Willows. Could this have something to do with the
> rule that vampires may only enter places into which they've been invited?
>
> 3. On a related note, we see the man in black at a castle (his?), in the
> prison cell (apparently invited by Russ), and in The Willows (without
> invitation). Perhaps The Willows belongs to him? On the other hand, Grafton
> has a vision of Eion Desmartes' death and describes the miser; he doesn't
> recognize him as being the man in black.
>
> 4. The Willows: Are we supposed to be thinking of the Algernon Blackwood
> story? Or the association between "weeping" and "willows?"
>
> 5. (This last one is the most out-there)
> When excerpts from the book first appeared, there was some discussion here
> about the oddness of the narrator's voice. His vocabulary certainly seems
> more limited than a lot of Wolfe's narrators, and, especially at first, his
> voice sounds a little off. I half-wonder if this is a clue, as per
> Christopher Simon's suggestion that the narrator has forgotten he's
> involved in a plan. There's mention of the Legion possessing translation
> machines, but it's never really followed up on. Is it possible that,
> contrary to what he tells us, Grafton isn't writing in English, in
> Massachusetts, for an editor in New York? But, if that were the case, what
> purpose is being served by the ruse?
>
> Thoughts?
>
> -Matt
>
>
> On Mon, Dec 9, 2013 at 9:09 PM, Matthew King <automatthew at gmail.com>wrote:
>
>> It reminds me of the sexy werefox in The Sorcerer's House.
>>
>>
>> On Dec 8, 2013, at 8:53 AM, Christopher Simon <kierkegaurdian at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>> > Definitely Evil Dead 2. That is one mean, murderous hand, most of the
>> time. Only Grafton sees its nice side.
>>
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