(urth) golden Severa etc.

[b sharp]

Thanks (once again) to Roy for the correction. As a new guy, I really do 
appreciate them.  Robert Borski didn't miss the catamite as I thought. Sorry 
I don't have Solar Labyrinth here to check but the explanation for the 
catamite you cite from him  is hard to swallow:

>I'd therefore like to speculate that the giant child Severian finds
>in Baldanders' bedchamber is _his_.

Its been a few months since Baldanders and Severian parted. How was there 
time for a Severian fathered baby to gestate and be born? Who was the mother 
(Dorcas or Jolenta or Juturna or ?)?  How did Baldanders get control of this 
baby?  Isn't obtaining a few cells from Dorcas a more plausible scenario?

Regarding the question of pedophile psychology posed by David DiGiacoma, I 
apologize.  I spent several years of my life working as a counselor for sex 
offenders in a correctional facility.  This experience surely makes me 
forget that some acknowleged principles of this field are not common 
knowledge.  As a brief thumbnail summary I'll note that predatory, violent 
sex offenders tend to prefer any helpless victim they can control and hurt 
while non-violent sex offenders tend to prefer the innocence of children and 
gentle, non-violent means of persuasion.

My experience was in the midwest USA.  A quick Google search provided this 
passage from a pedophile study in England which agrees with my previous 
experience in this field. (it is an interesting article- 
http://www.mhamic.org/sources/wilson&cox.htm):

>In this study, subjects were asked to describe the characteristics they 
>found attractive in children. >They cited personality traits slightly more 
>often than physical traits. Personality traits included >openness, 
>curiosity, spontaneity, enthusiasm, lack of inhibition, innocence, honesty, 
>and affection. >Physical traits included good looks, smooth skin, 
>attractive eyes, slim stature, and lack of pubic hair.

Wouldn't Dorcas fit most of those traits?  Dr. Talos calls her Innocence and 
says he prefers her over Jolenta. Hm..

The inspiration for Jolenta has been postulated to be Marilyn Monroe.  I 
would like to propose another semi-serious possiblity (and please excuse my 
irreverence) that being Gilligan's Island.  Is this a tv show known outside 
the USA? The time frame is right for a Wolfe inspiration.....

On this island we have two castaway women: 1. Tall, busty, jeweled, painted, 
vain, selfish, manipulative, stupid, red headed actress Ginger. 2. Smaller, 
sweet, innocent and ultimately more desireable Mary Ann (okay, dark haired 
but otherwise..).  I really do think the Ginger-Jolenta similarity is 
striking.

So Sev is Gilligan, the Skipper is Baldanders and...sorry, sorry, nevermind 
;).

-bsharp