(urth) Why so much synchronicity?

[junk06 at amalar.com]

>From: "Dan'l Danehy-Oakes" <danldo at gmail.com>
>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)

>From: "Jesper Svedberg" <jsvedberg at gmail.com>
>I would also suggest that it serves to make the narrative seem dream-like.

I would agree it's probably a literary device, and that it definitely gives 
the mood that something very strange is going on. However, I have a theory 
along the lines of Divine Providence.

I like to think the coincidences are a side effect of the time manipulation 
on Severian's behalf that is contrary to the natural flow of time. This 
produces some sort of disturbance in time, causing people to get caught 
into the disturbance, like swirling around in the eddies of a river.

Even the hierodules often seem surprised to see him. It's like they are 
walking merrily through time and and now and then..."Look, it's that guy 
again!"