The Tree is my Hat

James Jordan · 10 May 2003, 18:52 · from urth-v0305.mbox · original

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From: James Jordan <jbjordan4 at cox.net>
Subject: Re: (urth) The Tree is my Hat
Date: Sat, 10 May 2003 13:52:18 -0500
Message-ID: <urth-v0305-3399 at digest.urth.net>
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Thanks for putting us onto this, Nigel.
         A mother named Mary and a son named Adam certainly seem=20
significant. If Baden really did not know about them, they he's been away=20
for a long time. Mary conceives, but the father is not present for the=20
birth. Close enough to be a virgin birth allusion, particulary with a child=20
named Adam (=3D a new Adam).
         Baden looks like "Bad 'un," Bad One.
         His rejection of true religion is parallelled and expressed by his=20
rejection of Mary and ignorance of her son Adam.
         Why a twin named Mark? Are we (gasp!) to think of the Adam Mark=20
hotel line, and these sons are an alternate house that Baden does not=20
inhabit, has abandoned? Houses of one sort or another (hut, church, temple)=20
are thematic in the story. The hut stands between church and temple, a=20
place of human habitation that must be linked with either one or the other.=20
Baden has abandoned the good house of Mary nee Christmas, and of her sons.=20
His hut becomes a place of adultery.
         Alternatively, Mark means "warrior," though I don't see how this f=
its.
         Alternatively, according to modern theory, Mark is the first=20
gospel writer, and that might fit thematically: Jesus-Adam and Mark.
         Anyway, since Wolfe had no reason to introduce a second son, a=20
twin, there has to be a reason for it.
         I noticed that after his deal with the shark, Baden is unable even=20
to visit the church, being too sick on Sunday.
         A google search shows that Mervyn can mean "sea hill," "sea=20
ruler," or "high hill." There seems a pregnant reason by Robbins rejects=20
that name, in context. His name becomes Rob Robbins, and Mary's father has=20
an "R" for his middle name. Seems deliberate. Mary's father is Julius (link=20
toYule, I imagine) R. Christmas.
         Internet: A "spiritual" medium that links Baden both with a witch=20
and with Yule Christmas. Another manifestation of the choice before him.
         The flying saucer, as is obvious, links with the shark. Are we=20
supposed to think of real extra-terrestrials? I'm thinking of how Wolfe=20
conflates the perceptions of people in *Castleview.* My best guess is that=20
Baden as a modern man perceives a spiritual reality in terms he=20
understands, since he (initially) does not believe in a spirit realm. Given=20
that the shark is Satan (see below), it feels wrong to me for Wolfe to=20
overlay an SF dimension to this story. And, there is much discussion of=20
perception in the story. So I'm more comfortable, at this point, with a=20
*Castleview* explanation of the flying saucer.
         My guess is that the third spirit in the hut is indeed the ghost=20
of the former agent. He knows what is going on, since it happened to him.=20
He was formerly in Afghanistan, and I think we must see that as a place=20
parallel to Africa, a place where "old religion" is still somewhat=20
operative, as it is on the island. I think we are supposed to understand=20
that he also had become corrupted, and then seduced by the shark spirit.
         Another aspect of the story seems to be a contrast between the=20
very busy pastor and Agent Baden, who has nothing but lazy time on his=20
hands. The missionary has come there to work; Baden has come there just to=20
be there. Baden does not use his time to help the natives, as the pastor=20
does, but finds the time to explore the pagan side of things. His choice of=20
how to use his time, and perhaps the dangers of idleness, seem one theme in=20
the story.
         If I'm right, the back plot is that several years earlier Baden=20
had left his wife, probably adulterously given how quickly he falls into=20
that sin on the island. By rejecting "Mary" and also Christianity, he also=20
moves back in the realm of the "old" world. He does not even know about the=20
new Adam that Mary brings forth. Symbolically, he has rejected the family=20
of Christmas. What happens to him happens between Christmas and Easter, but=20
he will not come to Easter because he has rejected Christmas.
         On the title: I think we have to remember the serpent in the=20
garden, at the Tree of Knowledge, traditionally pictured IN the tree, with=20
the tree as its hat. Think of the coral tree that sprouts from the altar of=20
human sacrifice in the submerged temple (itself a good image of what=20
becomes of the old religion once the New has come: it is flooded).=20
Ultimately, the shark is Satan himself, and the Tree of Knowledge in which=20
he dwells is his hat.
         Just some grist for your mill.

Nutria


--=20

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