TWK - Why Able?

Dan'l Danehy-Oakes · 09 Jun 2005, 09:17 · from 2005-June.txt.gz

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From: danldo at gmail.com (Dan'l Danehy-Oakes)
Date: Thu Jun  9 09:17:14 2005
Subject: (urth) TWK - Why Able?
In-Reply-To: <20050609144713.29099.qmail at web52705.mail.yahoo.com>
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Message-ID: <1f761737050609091449abe1ff at mail.gmail.com>

Hi, and welcome to the mailinglist.

> 1) Since the good guys are outnumbered and possibly
> outgunned, I recognize the need for reserves from
> lower dimensions. But why does Michael want Able?
> Wouldn't he be better satisfied with a presumably
> wiser and strong Overcyn?

Able seems to be King Arthur in some form. There are 
clues to this all throughout, but the clincher is the last 
two words of the story - he signs the lengthy letter (that
is the novel) by his Earth name, "Art Ormsby." "Ormsby"
can be translated "of the worm." Thus, his name is a
form of "Arthur Pendragon."

> 2) I came out with the impression that Baki did indeed
> stab Gilling the first time (like Uri said) and that
> Garvaon finished the job the second time. Am I wrong?

I'm sure that Baki did stab Gilling; I'm not as sure about
Garvaon.

> 3) I'm not of a Christian background (Hindu rather)
> and I was wondering if I was correct in assuming that
> Able falling down twice after giving blood to Disiri
> refers to the pre-crucifiction trip Christ made.

That would certainly be one possible interpretation. Wolfe
definitely uses a lot of Christian imagery in his novels,
most blatantly (in my opinion) in the eucharistic scenes 
in the Book of the Short Sun.

--Dan'l
-- 
I do not fear Satan half so much as I fear those who fear him.
                        -- St Teresa of Avila
http://www.livejournal.com/users/sturgeonslawyer

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