Posthumous corn — Urth Net

Nicholas Gevers08 Feb 2000, 10:24original as archived

Posthumous corn

On the traffic jam stories in ST: I remember Wolfe saying in his original note on "Bluesberry Jam" in SPACE OPERA that an actual incident involving a protracted traffic jam inspired the story. And re the "Hey, I'm dead!" cliche in "Ain't You 'Most Done?": Wolfe has done this rather often, but as a conclusion to the collection, it has a usefully redemptive significance after much preceding gloom: Benson seems Heavenbound.

Jim Jordan10 Feb 2000, 13:13original as archived

↳ follows Nicholas Gevers · by subject

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At 10:24 AM 2/8/00 -0800, you wrote: On the traffic jam stories in ST: I remember Wolfe saying in his original note on "Bluesberry Jam" in SPACE OPERA that an actual incident involving a protracted traffic jam inspired the story. And re the "Hey, I'm dead!" cliche in "Ain't You 'Most Done?": Wolfe has done this rather often, but as a conclusion to the collection, it has a usefully redemptive significance after much preceding gloom: Benson seems Heavenbound.

A thought: The traffic jam is purgatory. This would link with Peace, where the character is also in purgatory. Remember that in RC thinking, purgatory is just the anteroom to heaven, and is not like hell at all. Purgatory is the place where a heavenbound person makes peace with his past and his sins. Just a thought.... Nutria