(urth) Who's Right

[Ryan Dunn]

To be even more pointed, I think the inclusion of stage plays and puppeteering and books within books is a huge clue that Severian's entire existence is something of a stage play, with him as the hero puppet.

People debate the coincidences versus free thought, but to me it's all a ruse. Raise him in a guild, instill every trait possible, send him out into the world knowing he will end up at the war, guide him along his way but let him think he is a free man, in truth he is the opposite.

What you're left with is a cast of characters in various states of awareness all acting out moments which comprise a greater mission: restore the New Sun, save Urth, help the hieros.

If previous Severians succeeded at this, we wouldn't be reading this one's tome.

I mean so many characters have ulterior motives. Agia, Hethor, Inire, Palaemon, Autarch, Baldanders, previous Severians, even Jonas. All of their plans involve Severian as a key player, but who the hell is Severian? What makes him so special? A torturers apprentice? Orphaned? And yet sent on a crash course with the cosmos from such an early age.

Getting away from mythology and religion, and focus on the actual guts of the story, the narration seems to point to a more holistic truism: That Severian is simply a puppet, and what we are reading in BotNS is what Pinnochio may have sounded like if it were written from Pinnochio's POV.

That's my opinion anyhow. If you subscribe to it, then the fun of re-reading is to follow the moves, look around the corner, call everything into question not out of paranoia or to make a theory fit, but to find the tricks. The hoodwinking. Gene has plenty of it in plain sight. Severian is almost constantly being deceived. But how much more can be interpreted this way which ISN'T in plain sight, but discoverable after some wise deduction.

Were not reading Genes attempt at a Biblical tome, I dint think. We are reading a Fantasy Mystery book designed with a lighter hand. There's fun around each page, and reading it in this way, well then I think wondering why Agias skull sounds line a metal hammer when it taps concrete, or why we should care about a red, wizened, humankind monkey watching Severian from the treetops might be worth wondering.

...ryan

On Dec 3, 2010, at 9:53 AM, Lee Berman <severiansola at hotmail.com> wrote:

> 
>> Ryan Dunn- My perception of the BotNS, in my readings, leads me more down the "we're watching you," 
>> premise, where others may not feel that is as central to the story.
> 
> I'm with you on that Ryan. My Father Inire ideas can be rendered silly by focusing on the ephemera 
> like monkeys and hair color and ignoring the central theme which is that Severian is being watched and 
> steered. It is a common debator's trick.
> 
> In my view, Severian is being watched and steered by more than once force, forces which are, to some 
> degree, in opposition. Though, of course, by hammer and anvil analogy, the Increate needs both forces to 
> shape Severian into what he must become.
> 
> There are the forces from the sky who are steering Severian toward creating Ushas and thus ensuring the
> creation of their race. But I think there is also a faction on Urth that wants something else from Severian.
> 
> As I recently outlined in a private correspondence I think this "something else" can be winnowed from the
> words of the Old Leech who has left Nessus to work for Vodalus in the Jungle seeking knowledge nobody else 
> has ever had. I think the target of his studies must be the only person who has such unique knowledge: Severian.
> He alone in the universe has the "knowledge"/ability of true resurrection of the dead.
> 
> Many of the episodes to which Severian seems steered towards can be interpreted as for the purpose of observing
> him in action: Dorcas at the lake, avern duel, Little Severian, Typhon, Miles, Leech etc. Leaving Urth then 
> returning, the action resumes with Ceryx and Zama.
> 
> There has been much discussion on this board of Severian's resurrection powers, usually in a Christian context.
> I notice that the desire for resurrection from the dead is a recurring theme in pagan mythology. Gods and 
> heroes are often going to the Underworld to try to restore a loved one, usually with poor results. On Urth
> there are some sub-standard methods of resurrection as seen from Vodalus, The Cumaean and Ceryx. I can 
> understand a conspiracy by the older powers to try to wrest the secret of true resurrection from the Christ-
> figure before he becomes aware of his own special status.                         
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