(urth) Fiction, halves, twins

[David Stockhoff]

A few guesses at connections to the Arcana, based entirely on Dave Tallman's chapter descriptions:

15: "Women" and 30: "Freedom!"
15 is to Shell. 30 is from Millie.
Common features: in 15 Bax mentions his two lovers. In 30 Millie hints 
that she doesn't love George and she wants Bax.

Temperance: Moderation or a compromise is required

...................

13: "Mouthpiece" and 32: "A Request"
13 is from Shell. 32 is from Shell.
Common feature: both are from Shell, offering advice.

Hanged Man: Inaction

....................

8: "The Good Boy" and 37: "The Challenge"
8 is to George. 37 is from George.
Common feature: fights between brothers. In 8 is the introduction of the 
conflict between Emlyn and Ieuan. In 37 is a death challenge from George 
to Bax.

Chariot: Conquest, pride

....................

3: "From One Big House to Another" and 42: "A Terrible Mistake"
3 is to Shell. 4 is from Doris.
Common feature: the house. 3 mentions the house to Shell for the first 
time. In 42 Doris visits the house for the last time.

Priestess: Otherworldliness, assuming the house is not really of this earth

2: "Your Brother" and 43: "Final Report"
2 is to George. 43 is from Madame Orizia
Common feature: opening and closing business arrangements. In 2 Bax 
writes to George for the first time and asks for money. In 43 Madame 
Orizia writes to Bax for the last time and asks for money.

Magician: a swindler?

1: "Your Old Cellmate" and 44: "Home!"
Common feature: rags to riches. In 1 Bax has nothing and is trying to 
get money from George. In 44 Bax gets everything of George's including 
his identity and his wife.

The Fool: is always a poor young man, an empty vessel to be filled with knowledge or riches


This may not be a handy way to understand the story. Two obvious problems arise: (1) what Tarot interpretation is used? (2) is it applied in a "high" or "low" style? For deep meaning or jokey convenience? You can't tell with Wolfe.

We also don't know whether a card is to be read straight or reversed. In short, you'll need to know both the Tarot and the story well to get much out of it. 

However, we know Wolfe knows everything there is to know about classical gods and goddesses. I'd assume he would follow, for example, the High Priestess as Isis and the Empress as Venus/Demeter rather than some new-agey interpretation.



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Message: 2
Date: Tue, 27 Apr 2010 08:01:58 -0600
From: Dave Tallman <davetallman at msn.com>
To: urth at lists.urth.net
Subject: Re: (urth) Fiction, halves, twins
Message-ID: <4BD6EE56.40402 at gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

The middle symmetry suggests arranging the chapters in pairs and looking 
for common features. There are books where this works, for example "The 
Scarlet Letter" and "Fearful Symmetry" (one of the comics in the 
"Watchmen" series).

22: "Silver Bullets" and 23: "Silver Bullets"
22 to Millie. 23 to George.
Common feature: title, pistols with silver bullets.

21: "Who Was He?" and 24: "Never Trust"
21 to Shell. 24 from Shell.
Common feature: 24 answers the questions in 21 about girls and Skotos.

20: "A Very Strange House" and 25: "The Hitchhiker"
20 to George. 25 to Orizia
Common feature: In 20 Madame Orizia makes a psychic visit, in 25 this is 
referred to by Bax.

19: "The Professional" and 26: "Bax Investigates"
19 from Orizia. 26 to Millie.
Common feature: in 19 Madame Orizia offers her services, in 26 Bax tells 
Millie about the letter.

18: "Lupine" and 27: "Remember the Pistols?"
18 to Millie. 27 to Shell.
Common feature: In 18 is the first mention of Lupine by name. In 27 
there is mention of shooting an animal (the werewolf).

17: "A Tramp" and 28: "Cherchez la Femme"
17 to Millie. 28 to George.
Common features: 17 has the first appearance of Toby, the dog. In 28 Bax 
gets a call from Toby in human form.

16: "Be Careful" and 29: "Help is on the Way"
16 from Millie. 29 from Madame Orizia.
Common features: 16 mentions Madame Orizia for the first time. 29 has 
her arriving to help.

15: "Women" and 30: "Freedom!"
15 is to Shell. 30 is from Millie.
Common features: in 15 Bax mentions his two lovers. In 30 Millie hints 
that she doesn't love George and she wants Bax.

14: "Is it a Ghost?" and 31: "Get Out -- And Got Out"
14 is to George. 31 is to Millie.
Common features: 14 mentions Nicholas the Butler and the locked trunk. 
In 31, the trunk in unlocked and Nicholas emerges.

13: "Mouthpiece" and 32: "A Request"
13 is from Shell. 32 is from Shell.
Common feature: both are from Shell, offering advice.

12: "A Big Deal in Prospect" and 33: "On the Home Front"
12 is to George. 33 is from Millie.
Common feature: 12 has a date with Doris and an invitation to her home. 
33 shows Millie is jealous of Doris and the other women.

11: "On Various Women" and 34: "Fox and Wolf"
11 is to George. 34 is to Millie.
Common features: 11 has the first appearance of Winkle in human form. 34 
mentions werefoxes and werewolves. The title may also refer to Bax and 
George respectively.

10: "Tough Question" and 35: "The Duelist"
10 is to Shell. 35 is to Shell.
Common features: In both Bax asks Shell questions and speaks of legal 
matters.

9: "Sorcery" and 36: "Wherever You Are"
9 is to George. 36 is to George.
Common feature: both have to do with finding things. In 9 the triannulus 
finds fish, etc. In 36 Bax is looking for George.

8: "The Good Boy" and 37: "The Challenge"
8 is to George. 37 is from George.
Common feature: fights between brothers. In 8 is the introduction of the 
conflict between Emlyn and Ieuan. In 37 is a death challenge from George 
to Bax.

7: "Bax Takes a Beating" and 38: "Manjushri"
7 is to George. 38 is to Millie.
Common feature: visions brought about by Winkle. In 7 there is the 
vision of the dance on the lawn. In 38 is the visit to legendary Japan 
for advice.

6: "Fresh Air" and 39: "Be Cool"
6 is from Shell. 39 is from Shell.
Common feature: both from Shell with friendly confidences.

5: "So Many Shades of Black" and 40: "Dear John"
Common Feature: dating Doris. 5 has a first letter from Doris making a 
date with Bax. 40 is Doris breaking up with Bax.

4: "Fisherman's Luck" and 41: "The Riverman"
4 is to George. 41 is to George.
Common feature: Bax using sorcery. In 4 Bax uses sorcery for the first 
time to get fish and the ring. In 41 he uses it to summon the Riverman 
and win the battle.

3: "From One Big House to Another" and 42: "A Terrible Mistake"
3 is to Shell. 4 is from Doris.
Common feature: the house. 3 mentions the house to Shell for the first 
time. In 42 Doris visits the house for the last time.

2: "Your Brother" and 43: "Final Report"
2 is to George. 43 is from Madame Orizia
Common feature: opening and closing business arrangements. In 2 Bax 
writes to George for the first time and asks for money. In 43 Madame 
Orizia writes to Bax for the last time and asks for money.

1: "Your Old Cellmate" and 44: "Home!"
Common feature: rags to riches. In 1 Bax has nothing and is trying to 
get money from George. In 44 Bax gets everything of George's including 
his identity and his wife.

If the arcana theory is right, these chapter pairs may also be 
associated with the tarot deck. I don't have time to look at that now, 
but someone else may give it a try.