(urth) The mystery of the image of an astronaut cleaned by Rudesind

[Ryan Dunn]

On Jul 5, 2010, at 10:47 PM, Lee Berman wrote:

> Ryan, some have been on this list for a LONG time. Many are content
> with their reading of BotNS and there is no new theory strong enough
> to meddle with that contentment. As it should be. We are each seeking
> our own best reading and should not seek to bend others to our own 
> comfort level.


Having only read BotNS twice, I can see I have my work cut out for me. I appreciate your feedback, however, and I think you and I share a similar feeling about the text, that there is a central puzzle and that is Severian and his journey to becoming Autarch, and eventually [bringer of] the New Sun.

There is a definite theatrical undertone to the book, and I believe as a reader, I feel like these sitcom-like encounters are not merely coincidences, but a series of moments forged by revisionist history in the making, with disguises, masks, spies and so forth.

There are also a lot of side-stories involving stage plays and traditional theatrical devices (puppets, vaudevillian plays, etc.) and I think that they are another clue to the bigger meaning of the entire story arc. For this reason, I feel like these over-the-top double-identities are fair game. "Nothing is what it seems," as it were.

Thanks again.

...ryan