Too literal on everything?

maa32 · 03 Jan 2002, 03:21 · from whorl-v0013.mbox · original

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From: maa32 <maa32 at dana.ucc.nau.edu>
Subject: Too literal on everything?
Date: Wed, 02 Jan 2002 20:21:47 -0700
Message-ID: <whorl-v0013-whorl.v012.n179.6 at digest.urth.net>
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Very interesting stuff about the Maternal paganism in Wolfe, Nutria.  Thank=
s=20
for sharing your conversation with Wolfe.

Hey Andy, when you say I'm being too literal, do you mean about all my word=20
connections or just that Blue/Green time travel thing?  Severian doesn't se=
em=20
to have any problem traveling through time.  The only thing I think is very=20
interesting in the text about what whorls we should consider when dealing w=
ith=20
inhumu is when the narrator claims (with some authority)that there are only=20
three whorls involved: the whorl, green, and blue.  Why, then, does Merryn=20
have a problem with animals on the Red Sun Whorl (certainly a few thousand=20
years would change the constellations, too), and why does Jahlee bring it u=
p?=20
What does it mean?  I've just found it interesting how Wolfe can infuse=20
repetitive words with associations that they normally do not have (for=20
example, read The Book of the New Sun and look at how many times water and=20
healing are mixed, as well as flooding and salvation -> it happens over and=20
over and over ad nauseum. Obviously, salvation requires a big flood -> and =
you=20
didn't really have to read Urth of the New Sun to make that association)  I=
'm=20
just exploring those word associations, and whether they are fruitful or no=
t. =20
I have always felt that was a good way to read Wolfe (like that whole elm t=
ree=20
being associated with death in Peace, or noticing in the Book of the New Su=
n=20
that every time a scary beast shows up, Hethor shows up, too -> I think Wol=
fe=20
only provides the exposition half the time).  Certainly I am not even=20
confident in most of my explorations -> I'm just drawing weird connections.=20
And you must admit that in a book about a journey home, it does not seem ve=
ry=20
off the wall that there might be some way to reconcile Blue and Green with=20
that homeward journey (especially since their orbits pass within 30,000=20
leagues of each other).  And if you've ever read Books in the Book of the N=
ew=20
Sun which equates a masters thesis with the story of Theseus or the BINDING=
 OF=20
A BOOK with the upcoming appearance of Dorcas, then you know that Wolfe is=20
entirely capable of making the most bizarre and surprising connections in t=
he=20
universe.
Marc Aramini

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