...a little help here (new urthling)

Alexander Wallis18 May 2005, 08:10as archived

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James Wynn20 May 2005, 12:25as archived

Okay. I'll take this one on. For starters, a re-reading is probably in order. It is often said that Wolfe cannot be read, only re-read. Alexander Wallis said:

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However I have to admit I got a little lost not long after Severian's return to Urth. In fact the last couple of chapters were pretty much lost on me and I don't understand the significance of Apu-Punchau.

Hmmm...well, if you only failed to see the significance of Apu-Punchau, then there is probably a lot of which you misunderstood the significance and didn't realize it. There are possibly many points to the AP story, such as the nature of prophecy to an Increate who exists outside of time. The nature of identity of the Christian Messiah (vis a vis Dionysus, Hari Krishna, and Mithra) in that Conciliator IS, is LIKE, and is NOT the same as, Apu-Punchau who was an earlier Conciliator when Urth's Sun was young and hale. I'm sure there are other significances.

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From reading your discussions it seems clear there is no definitive explanation of anything about these books.

See? You are picking this up fast.

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However I'd like to know what long term Wolfe readers understand by the concluding events in Urth of the New Sun. Specifically was Severian also the bringer of the old Sun?

In what way do you mean that? The Old Sun is damaged by having a black hole in it. Severian brings "The White Fountain", a reverse black hole to heal it.

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Was Apu-Punchau merely Severian in an earlier time, or were they both representations of the same principle (as per the anima discussion)?

Well, let me ask you: Who was the Severian who "nearly" drowned in the Gyol? Who was the Severian that fell down that shaft in UotNS? ~ Crush