(OBW) Horn/Babbie

Andrew Bollen · 23 Jan 2003, 07:05 · from urth-v0301.mbox · original

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From: "Andrew Bollen" <abollen at internode.on.net>
Subject: Re: (urth) (OBW) Horn/Babbie
Date: Thu, 23 Jan 2003 18:05:07 +1100
Message-ID: <urth-v0301-2778 at digest.urth.net>
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Just a couple of other thoughts on this.=20

The second to last paragraph of OBW has Silk/Horn quoting his little =
song about fair young girls living to deceive one, followed immediately =
by a reference to Evensong. It seems to me pretty clear that Silk/Horn =
knows, and always knew, that Evensong was deceitful. And surely in a =
fairly large way also: why would have she come with him unless she had =
some large designs? (BTW, I think she is a little gem of a character: =
incredibely brave, resourceful & loyal to Han, when one thinks about =
it.)

Returning to the Babbie/Horn scene, I think at this point, with Horn =
exhausted, Silk starts to surface. (There has been a recent, =
characteristic Hyacinth dream.) Whenever Silk/Horn becomes guilt-wracked =
& despairing & suicidal I think it is mainly the unhealed Silk speaking, =
more than Horn. He is certainly guilt-wracked at this point:=20

"By not returning to Gaon ... I had put her into deadly danger; and my =
presence kept her there."

Knowing that Evensong is his enemy, yet still feeling as much for her as =
if she were his friend, is surely Silk-think, not Horn-think.

Perhaps the SIlky part is hoping for death at this point, maybe from =
Evensong, maybe from the inhumi, and he puts himself at risk =
deliberately (fire burning down, half-hearted attempts to guard against =
inhumi, gives Evensong sword & knife & valuables).=20

Just as the VP "lent" him the strength of tough Horn when he was =
suicidal over Hyacinth's death, now they or somebody temporarily (?) =
lend him the strength of brave Babbie. It's a neat parallel, =
recapitulating the Silk/Horn story in miniature.=20

Now I think the comforting from the mysterious figure in forrest is very =
important in Silk's "therapy". The "modulation" of the Silk/Horn =
character changes greatly between OBW and the beginning of IGJ. To me, =
it's not so much that Silk starts to emerge, as that Silk & Horn become =
more integrated in their best characteristics, as I've said before. =
Silk's charisma & goodness without his ... well, soppiness; and Horn's =
toughness & practicality without his sour streak. *Something* about the =
experience in the forrest did this.=20

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Just a couple of other thoughts on =
this.=20

The second to last paragraph of OBW has =
Silk/Horn=20
quoting his little song about fair young girls living to deceive one, =
followed=20
immediately by a reference to Evensong. It seems to me pretty clear that =

Silk/Horn knows, and always knew, that Evensong was deceitful. And =
surely=20
in a fairly large way also: why would have she come with him unless she =
had some=20
large designs? (BTW, I think she is a little gem of a character: =
incredibely=20
brave, resourceful & loyal to Han, when one thinks about=20
it.)

Returning to the Babbie/Horn scene, I =
think at this=20
point, with Horn exhausted, Silk starts to surface. (There has been a =
recent,=20
characteristic Hyacinth dream.) Whenever Silk/Horn becomes guilt-wracked =
&=20
despairing & suicidal I think it is mainly the unhealed Silk =
speaking, more=20
than Horn. He is certainly guilt-wracked at this point: 

"By not returning to Gaon ... I had put =
her into=20
deadly danger; and my presence kept her there."

Knowing that Evensong is his enemy, yet =
still=20
feeling as much for her as if she were his friend, is surely Silk-think, =
not=20
Horn-think.

Perhaps the SIlky part is hoping =
for death at=20
this point, maybe from Evensong, maybe from the inhumi, and he puts =
himself at=20
risk deliberately (fire burning down, half-hearted attempts to guard =
against=20
inhumi, gives Evensong sword & knife & valuables). 

Just as the VP "lent" him the strength =
of tough=20
Horn when he was suicidal over Hyacinth's death, now they or somebody=20
temporarily (?) lend him the strength of brave Babbie. It's a neat=20
parallel, recapitulating the Silk/Horn story in miniature.=20

Now I think the comforting from the =
mysterious=20
figure in forrest is very important in Silk's "therapy". The =
"modulation" of the=20
Silk/Horn character changes greatly between OBW and the beginning of =
IGJ. To me,=20
it's not so much that Silk starts to emerge, as that Silk & Horn =
become more=20
integrated in their best characteristics, as I've said before. Silk's =
charisma=20
& goodness without his ... well, soppiness; and Horn's toughness =
&=20
practicality without his sour streak. *Something* about the experience =
in the=20
forrest did this. 

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