(urth) Father Inire

[Lee Berman]

>David Stockhoff: The theme of raising up and lowering down Man---or at very least 
>the stretching of the definition of Man---is strong in BNS.
 
I really think you are onto something with this. Tzadkiel is meant to depict a
higher being than humanity and he/she demonstrates a full spectrum of expression
from lower being to human to angel. (the other spectrum he/she varies on is size
but perhaps that is a separate discussion).
 
>the stars above, the abyss below.
 
Yesod, Briah, Abaddon= Olympus, Earth, Hades or Asgard, Midgard, Niflheim/Hel etc.?
 
>However, I can't say I've noticed a motif of describing characters in terms of animals.
 
I think we do see this and it is associated with characters which are higher beings than
humans. Tzadkiel and The Cumaean are explicitly shown in an animalistic form. The
megatherians are, by definition, beastial.  Melito's angel takes an eagle form. The 
armiger's daughter has her lark form.  We must wonder about "Mother Pyrexia" and what
she turned into while confined.
 
I think an extrapolation of this theme makes it almost necessary to wonder what monkey
form Father Inire might be taking. Why would other aliens take animal form and not him?
I find Talos' vulpine nature and some animalistic comparisons for other characters to be 
invitations to speculate on their alien/angelic/pagan god nature.
 
IMHO, the snake and bird and fish (and Pig) associations found in Long/Short Sun for 
superhuman characters continue this theme.