Peach scarf, scented

Doug Eigsti · 13 Aug 1997, 22:12 · from whorl-v0007.mbox · original

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From: Doug Eigsti <d.eigsti at worldnet.att.net>
Subject: Re: (whorl) Peach scarf, scented
Date: Wed, 13 Aug 1997 22:12:28 +0000
Message-ID: <whorl-v0007-0537 at digest.urth.net>
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[Posted from WHORL, the mailing list for Gene Wolfe's Book of the Long Sun]

mantis, et. al.;

  I have been lurking in on the "Tracking Song" dialog for some time=20
and enjoying it immensely. The discussion has prompted memories more=20
pleasant that when I last read it. Thank you.

     Re: The Peach Colored scarf. Cool connection, I don't think I=20
would have noticed. I am not sure what it means, but it could be the=20
key to some pervasive symbolism that Wolfe has been planting in his=20
work from the beginning. Or, maybe, he just likes leading us on rabbit=20
trails.=20

     I have a question from "Seven American Nights". Strangely enough=20
it relates to the perfumed scarf: Can anyone elaborate upon the=20
"shopworn" theater trick refered to as "the Peri's asphodel". It is=20
used twice in the story. The first time (page 372 of the pb) while=20
Nadan is watching the play:=20

The one used here is to have John--Ellen's lover--find"Kreton's=20
handkerchief and, remarking that it seemed perfumed, bury his nose in=20
it. For an instant, the shadow wall used at the beginning of the=20
second act was illuminated again to graphically present Ellen's=20
desire, conveying to the audience that John had, for that moment,=20
shared the telepathic abilities of Kreton, whom all had now entirely=20
forgotten.

     The second (page 397) occurs when Nadan takes a bite of the third=20
egg and he is trying to rationalize his experience with the monster:

True there were bloodstains on my clothes (the Peri's asphodel!) but=20
they could have easily have come from my cheek, which is still sore.

     In the first case I can see where the Peri's asphodel might mean=20
a plot device to tell the audience what is going on inside the=20
character's mind. But I cannot seem to reconcile the second case.

=3DTalon=3D

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