(urth) Hut in the Jungle

Son of Witz sonofwitz at butcherbaker.org
Mon Mar 30 23:11:00 PDT 2009


On Mar 30, 2009, at 9:05 PM, b sharp wrote:

>
> FWIW-
>
> I see the Jungle Hut as a clear example of a time travel device as  
> most specifically described for the Last House: a labyrinthine  
> entranceway leading to a vertical structure. We see this pattern  
> repeated in the towers around the Atrium of Time, Ultan's Library  
> and probably in the Naviscaput's lair. Higher levels are in the  
> future and lower levels are in the past (this helps explain Valeria  
> and the Path of Air).
>
> Thus, the earth that we see at the top of the ladder of the Jungle  
> Hut is in Urth's future. This is supported by the textual and Wolfe  
> interview clues which suggest Urth is the analog of Earth which  
> exists in a previous universal iteration. And why Urth has Severian  
> while Earth has Christ, etc.
>
> And I think Isangoma is a Father Inire incarnation, like most of the  
> twisted old monkey-like guys we find; Hephaestus analog that he is.  
> Jungle Hut allows Inire access to some earth artifacts which make it  
> to Urth like a picture of the moon landing, Frankenstein story, etc.
> _________________________________________________________________


Now that's pretty interesting.

would the Sorcerers underground pits list among those examples?

Is there any reason to infer that the time travel device in the  
vertical structure is forward only?
Unless there is, I'd guess Earth as past is still the best answer in  
terms of resolving plot and thematics and authors note in Shadow.
(and if it is in the future, the Baldanders/Frankenstein trip loses  
its punch)

Isangoma / Inire ? hmmmm.... 



More information about the Urth mailing list