5HC a good introduction to wolfe? (was Washington Post

Michael Straight · 16 Apr 2002, 18:58 · from urth-v0204.mbox · original

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From: Michael Straight <straight at email.unc.edu>
Subject: RE: (urth) 5HC a good introduction to wolfe? (was Washington  Post
Date: Tue, 16 Apr 2002 14:58:36 -0400 (EDT)
Message-ID: <urth-v0204-628 at digest.urth.net>
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On Tue, 16 Apr 2002, James Jordan wrote:

>          Methinks Dan'l is right. Gene Wolfe is pointing to the "heart of=20
> darkness" in everyman/woman, and using himself as an example. Number Five=20
> and Maitre are what Everyman could be -- and what Gene would be apart fro=
m=20
> saving grace.=20

I agree with this, but I think it is a symbolic connection rather than a
literal one.  That is, I don't think we should expect #5 to look like our
own Mr. Wolfe nor look for clues that the family has held on to a single
name since the 20th century.  But by giving #5 and Maitre his own name,
Wolfe is implying something along the lines you suggest.

-Rostrum

--=20

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