Humans vs. inhumi at the end of _Short Sun_

Dan Rabin · 11 Feb 2001, 22:24 · from whorl-v0012.mbox · original

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From: Dan Rabin <wolfe-lists at danrabin.com>
Subject: (whorl) Humans vs. inhumi at the end of _Short Sun_
Date: Sun, 11 Feb 2001 22:24:06
Message-ID: <whorl-v0012-0183 at digest.urth.net>
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The protagonist spends a lot of time treating inhumi as people and=20
trying to see their point of view, even to the point of wanting to=20
learn about their reproductive habits.  He must be the most=20
sympathetic human the inhumi have encountered.  Then Jahlee tries to=20
kill Nettle, and Juganu leads a war party against the protagonist,=20
who doesn't hesitate to kill them in either case (although he seems=20
to have some regret about Jahlee).

I can't figure out whether these incidents represent the inhumi not=20
being able to rise above their nature, or whether they are a=20
consequence of their close imitation of humans.  Perhaps they imitate=20
humans in war as in love?

Was the protagonist just kidding himself?  There are several times=20
when he exacts a promise from a companion inhuma/u not to feed on=20
members of his party, yet he knows that they *do* have to feed.  I=20
don't see how any rapprochement can emerge from the protagonist's=20
treatment of the inhumi, and I don't see how the outcome for humans=20
necessarily differs from the experience of the Neighbors.

   -- Dan Rabin

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