blattid - doubled limbs

maa32 · 28 Feb 2002, 00:31 · from urth-v0202.mbox · original

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From: maa32 <maa32 at dana.ucc.nau.edu>
Subject: (urth) blattid - doubled limbs
Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2002 17:31:46 -0700
Message-ID: <urth-v0202-246 at digest.urth.net>
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No doubt I'm repeating myself again, but for Blattid: I think I did a prett=
y=20
good job reconciling all the differences between the descriptions of Urth=20
(saltier sea, different color, etc.) in the last archive, and I've gone ove=
r=20
the doubled limbs ad nauseum. There are a ton of things that point toward t=
hem=20
being the same, and there are a few BIG things that point toward them being=20
different.  Remember that Krait says "the biggest mysteries are the most=20
obvious ones".  I think Wolfe had a lot of fun hiding Blue as Earth through=20
the biographical Plant Engineering premise. And a few other clever tricks (=
"Ah=20
ha! they will never be able to figure out that Blue is Urth even though the=
y=20
are both big blue flooded planets with a Green satellite! I am the master o=
f=20
misdirection." Can't you see Wolfe doing that?) I am very pleased with my=20
explanations, and I can't look at the text in the same way ever again no=20
matter what anyone else brings up; it all fits for me.  All the little deta=
ils=20
keep adding up to it even with a precursory glance (especially in the first=20
chapter when Horn claims the maize has everything to do with where they are=20
right now - how odd is that parallel?) And once you realize Babbie is Horn=20
there is no other way to read his treatment of Hoof in the last couple=20
chapters of Return.  And where did he first leave Silk?  The end of On Blue=
's=20
Waters where he says goodbye and then the narrative changes 180 degrees int=
o a=20
positive, absolutely didactic and good narrator. He doesn't even relate the=20
story of Green and the sewers in first person - because he has less of Horn=
 in=20
him than ever before.  And what hastens that transition? Sleeping under a h=
uge=20
tree, like the ones on Green.  And what brings back the Vanished People? Ho=
rn=20
falling in their pit.  And why? Because they are made from him.  And why is=20
the secret of the inhumi important? It indicates life from Green uses the=20
blood of other species to evolve with HERITABLE genetic traits within one=20
generation, just like the trees.  And why does Wolfe go over inhumi breedin=
g=20
habits ad nauseum at the end of Return to the Whorl? Because it explains=20
polyploidy in simple (very simple) animals and plants. And one of those=20
metanarrative statements is in the text there claiming the story is very=20
important when Juganu tells it.  I don't know about you, but that story bor=
ed=20
me out of my mind.  It was important for its genetic veracity.  I will not=20
bend, nor move an inch.  The only concession I am willing to make (for me; =
I=20
could care less how anyone else really reads the text - everyone should hav=
e=20
room for personal interpretation; mine just fits everything I read in the t=
ext=20
for me)is that maybe Horn and Silk are not quite forerunners of the Green M=
an=20
(maybe they didn't receive any genetic material from their tree experience).
Ok.  Sorry for so much repetition.  Of course, believe what you want. I jus=
t=20
wanted to share my thoughts with everyone.
Marc Aramini

--=20

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