New Poster: Nettle theory

Chris · 13 May 2003, 16:30 · from urth-v0305.mbox · original

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From: "Chris" <rasputin_ at hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: (urth) New Poster: Nettle theory
Date: Tue, 13 May 2003 16:30:07 +0000
Message-ID: <urth-v0305-3421 at digest.urth.net>
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Dan'l wrote:
>Absolutely correct.
>
>However, this chapter (like all the "interstitial" chapters in WHORL, and
>certain inserted remarks in the earlier volumes - which in turn should lead
>us to question how heavily the Narrator's own words have been edited!),
>is NOT the Narrator writing; it is Daisy.

I have to say that I was perplexed by the ending myself, but this is exactl=
y=20
the point I was going to make. This chapter, aside from the narrator=20
claiming to be Daisy from the beginning, is also written in a distinctly=20
different style - as is the wedding chapter. I'd also like to throw in that=20
even Silkhorn during the course of the chapters he wrote varies a bit=20
depending on his emotional state. Sometimes he addresses Nettle specificall=
y=20
and passionately; others she fades from his mind. Horn is, perhaps, not the=20
most devoted husband but I like to think these are just times when Silk is=20
coming to the fore.

>As you semi-note in a bit I deleted, there is NO sense in any of the=20
>previous
>"by the kids" material that they are addressing Nettle; in fact, in one of=20
>the
>inserted remarks, in (I believe) OBW, responding to the Narrator's=20
>wondering
>whether or not "you" will ever read the ms., the kids say that *she* has.

Hmm now this is a place where the theory, even if incorrect, brings up more=20
questions. This passage implied to me that Nettle is with them at the time=20
they are adding their editorial notes - it's not explicit, but it seems=20
clear enough to me. And if she did go, did she have time to read OBW and=20
comment on it to Hoof and Hide? If she did, then Silkhorn was certainly=20
there to see that for himself. Nonetheless (again, not explicitly) the=20
editorial note seems to be directed to Horn, not to us.

>>"We will sail tonight," he told me.  "Would you be willing to make my
>>farewells to Hoof and Hide?  Nettle is making her own, and cannot be
>>bothered with mine."

I thought, initially, that she might be making farewells because Hoof and=20
Hide were moving from their home - after the wedding, this would be somewha=
t=20
natural. But that's a weak explanation.

If she did go back to the Whorl, the rationalization that sits best with me=20
is that perhaps she simply doesn't trust Silkhorn's account or necessarily=20
believe her husband is dead. She knows that Horn somehow reached Silk to=20
send him back, and thus presumes that Horn made it to the Whorl somehow and=20
may still be alive there.

There's also the possibility that for some complex political reason the=20
ending has been deliberately obscured. I don't have a likely reason for=20
that. But it certainly strikes me as muddled.

Chris

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