The Blue Urth Theory

Chris · 22 Dec 2002, 10:45 · from urth-v0212.mbox · original

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From: "Chris" <rasputin_ at hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: (urth) The Blue Urth Theory
Date: Sun, 22 Dec 2002 10:45:16 +0000
Message-ID: <urth-v0212-2516 at digest.urth.net>
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IMHO, there is never a problem of not having enough clues; the problem is,=20
rather, that the given set of clues can produce a nearly infinite number of=20
internally consistent hypotheses.

There are two ways of approaching the text, then. The first is to attempt t=
o=20
divine the author's intent. This is virtually impossible without the=20
author's help, no matter *how* many clues he has provided in the text,=20
because of the multitude of theories that can be spawned. On the other hand=
,=20
this is an entertaining enough challenge to be worth doing.

The second possibility is to, as a reader, come up with a reading of the=20
text that is as aesthetically pleasing (to you) as you can. In this sense w=
e=20
are in some way pushing each other to come up with more beautiful=20
interpretations in consistency, form, and symmetry among other things - and=20
in this context, what the author *meant* has little if anything to do with=20
matters. One can look for the simplest explanation, but depending on your=20
taste this won't always be the best.

In either case, I have always found the statement that "there are enough=20
clues" to be somewhat mocking. Of *course* there are enough clues.

I can't speak for anyone else, but I tend to look at things from the second=20
perspective, which lends itself well to tolerance of many different=20
interpretations. My main *personal* reason for not favoring the Blushas=20
theory is that it seems thematically unwieldy, and seems to require a sort=20
of deus ex machina to work. Other people may well not share my tastes in=20
this matter, though.

Regards,

Chris - wondering if "Cheese" is a valid Vironese name.

>As I said in an earlier posting, I believe that Mr. Wolfe places all the=20
>necessary elements to an adequate comprehension of his work within the wor=
k=20
>itself, but I don't believe that the conjecture of a character within the=20
>work is necessarily adequate evidence in its own right, as his=20
>all-too-human characters are often mistaken or hasty in drawing=20
>conclusions, as are we all...

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