(urth) Questions . . .

Eric Ortlund eortlund at briercrest.ca
Mon Nov 26 16:42:17 PST 2007


Dear Friends,

Forgive me again if I'm repeating old questions, but perhaps some of you
can help with the following . . .

1) What is the larger significance of the story Sev reads to Jonas about
the man fleshed from dreams?  I get that it's a re-working of the
Theseus and Minotaur story, but is it anything more than an entertaining
interlude?  Is it some kind of commentary on the surrounding narrative -
or Jonas' story?  Severian finishes the story with a dismissive comment
about it being an idle tale, but I'm suspicious something more is going
on here.

2) When Severian meets Rudesind the second time before meeting the
Autarch, is Rudesind's confusion about where they are - he keeps talking
about being back in the Citadel, and how they can check the map in
Ultan's library - intentional?  Is he hinting something to Severian?

3) Is there a deeper significance to the code phrases Vodalus gives
Severian?  There's so much about ships elsewhere in the book (the
pelagic argosy) - the ship on the tomb Sev rests in as a boy, the ship
he sails to Yesod in - and the Autarch drops the phrase to Sev. as he's
talking about the higher world Severian will eventually travel to.  Or
is it "just" a phrase?

Many thanks, 
Eric

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