(urth) This week in Google alerts

[James Wynn]

On 11/5/2011 10:42 AM, Gerry Quinn wrote:
> *From:* David Stockhoff <mailto:dstockhoff at verizon.net>
> On 11/5/2011 10:30 AM, Gerry Quinn wrote:
> > > How come nobody even mentioned the clearly stated explanation of
> > > Silent and Silver Silk before now?  Those who object to my claim that
> > > my methodology largely involves reading the text have some questions
> > > to answer.  How can one run with the faun theory and seemingly not
> > > even notice the other?
>
> > I thought the reason was that they were readily seen, known, and agreed
> > upon. Not mentioning doesn't mean not noticing.
> Check the Urth archives.
> - Gerry Quinn

The search in the archives is notoriously unreliable. However, honestly, 
I didn't think there was anything revealing or debatable about Wolfe's 
rationalization for assigning the names "Silent Silk/Silver Silk" to the 
Whorl god. The issue is the reason WHY he had people assign those two 
separate designations to the god in the first place.

Okay. Then, I am going to apply Gerry's literary criticism method to a 
hypothetical book.

This book makes references to "Lorina Liddell's sister" and "Lodh 
Carol". The main character (a blonde BOY wearing a blue and white 
outfit) enters a cave around which rabbits have created extensive 
warrens. On the other side, he meets a wagon maker (latin, 
"carpentarius") who says he used to work at Sea World where he trained a 
walrus to do tricks. His nemeses are a pair of overweight twins named 
Deter and Dumball who are the leaders of opposing sides in a gang war. 
One of them explains that their weight problems are due to a congenital 
condition cause by a leptin condition. They explain that their parents 
named them for the two closest towns to the house where they were born.

Now using Gerry's method, it is ludicrous to think the author is 
flashing references to the works of Lewis Carroll. After all, the 
meaning of Deter and Dumball's names is clearly explained and is not 
literary at all. Their chubbiness is a result of a specific plot element 
in their lives. Analyzing the plot with reference to Alice's adventures 
in Wonderland is a terrific waste of time.

I think this method is counter-productive.


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