Mysteries

Not in the Sun cycle, as far as I can remember. Perhaps that Weer is dead?

Every body agrees on that because Wolfe said it in early interviews. Otherwise, we would be arguing about that, too.

No dia 22/10/2011, ?s 04:31, Marc Aramini <marcaramini at yahoo.com> escreveu:

Maybe you're right. And the same goes for Dorcas, some say. Sounds bleak to me.

From: Ant?nio Pedro Marques

It’s not that bad, I think. If Wolfe says something, after all, others might have come to the realisation later. As for Weer, when I read Peace I didn’t know he was dead, but it was clear that he was at least dying if not dead, and I’m not sure that the difference is hugely important. I think I did settle on him probably been dead, mainly because I felt he was being punished in some way (perhaps just by becoming an unquiet spirit). The lander overruling the destination set by Quetzal was a bad one, though — we should have noticed the monitor in sick bay! As for mysteries, I think a lot of people are seeing mysteries where there are none, and of course they cannot find consistent answers to them. In Fifth Head, for example, we are told quite clearly who the Shadow Children are (in this case Wolfe actually said the opposite in an interview fifteen years after publication, but I’m certain it was an error!) Trying to paint them as the aboriginal Annese just leads to confusion and inconsistency, and “mysteries” that aren’t really there at all. - Gerry Quinn

Heh. Yes, exactly! Just as there was great argument over whether Dr. Marsch was replaced by V.R.T. until it was pointed out that WOlfe explicitly says he was in an interview (that episode actually prompted one or two long time contributors to drop out of the conversation). There is a small minority I've seen who debate whether Dorcas is Severian's grandmother. And a somewhat larger minority who question whether Catherine is Severian's mother. I don't think Antonio's quest for more concrete, universally accepted conclusion is likely to be fruitful. If they were all like that we wouldn't still be here discussing them. Moreover, as Marc notes, the only real way to achieve such consensus seems to be a Wolfe quote about his work. And he doesn't seem inclined to make more of those. He has said (after an interviewer's prompt) that he might hope his work will continue to be read and discussed 300 years after his death. It seems likely that he is aware that his silence is likely to assist in this goal. (though I personally disagree. Mystery is one of the compelling aspects of Wolfe's work but not at all the only one)