(urth) Why so much synchronicity?

[don doggett]

An even simpler explanation is that the narrative is
written in the first person - It is essentially a
fictional memoir. In "real life" Sev surely meets
plenty of shmoes not worth mentioning. That's why he
doesn't mention them. It's selective recording, and
because Severian is being selective, it is probable
that he (the character, not Wolfe, though Wolfe also
of course) is trying to communicate something
indirectly. What that is is up for what is apparently
eternal debate. :)

Don

--- Jesper Svedberg <jsvedberg at gmail.com> wrote:

> 2006/8/19, Dan'l Danehy-Oakes <danldo at gmail.com>:
> >
> > On 8/19/06, junk06 at amalar.com <junk06 at amalar.com>
> wrote:
> > > Why? It smells of ham handedness, as someone
> mentioned recently.
> > > Anyone have theories as to why so many
> coincidences fill the series?
> >
> > I have two.
> >
> > 1. I'm pretty sure Wolfe is an admirer of Dickens.
> Dickens's plots are
> > utterly coincidence-driven. (E.g., the fellow who
> catches Oliver, but
> > not the Dodger, turns out to be his
> grandfather...) This doesn't bother
> > his fans.
> >
> > 2. These are all signs of Divine Providence (or
> the guidance of the
> > Hier*s, aqastors, etc.) to make sure that Severian
> fulfills that destiny
> > (of which he already had some presentiment)
> 
> 
> I would also suggest that it serves to make the
> narrative seem dream-like.
> 
> 
>   // Jesper
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