(urth) What symbols mean for Wolfe

[Adam Thornton]

I think maybe there's a third principle to add to my Two Keys To Wolfe, but
I think they're all articulations of the same ur-theme, which I haven't
found a nice concise aphorism.  I'll put the new one first:

1) Symbols are Real
2) You Are What You Eat
3) You Become What You Imitate

1 and 3 are the same thing in different guises, I think, and 2 is a special
case of 3, maybe.


On Mon, Nov 26, 2012 at 8:23 AM, Daniel Petersen <
danielottojackpetersen at gmail.com> wrote:

> We need the illusion(?) of free
> will to function as a human being on a day by day basis. But the devoutly
> religious must
> somehow reconcile this with the irrational awareness that we are the
> creation of an
> omniscient and omnipotent God who created the universe knowing it would
> irrevocably lead
> to every single micro-choice we end up making in life.
>
>
> Well, many theologies don't at all think it follows from a doctrine of God
> (e.g. omniscience and omnipotence) that every 'micro-choice' of creatures
> is thereby determined and fixed without reference to the subject making his
> or her own meaningful and actual choice.  As I say, I suspect Wolfe is
> giving space for these variant theologies to wrestle in the Solar Cycle
> rather than simply embodying one or the other.  (As does Catholic teaching
> in general, I believe.)
>
> In terms of symbology, the coin, and I'm pretty sure other moments, point
> fairly strongly in the direction of some kind of theological determinism
> (compatibilist).  The characterisations, as has been suggested, perhaps
> point in a more theologically libertarian freewill direction.  What I'm
> wondering is whether there are *symbols* in the work that image forth
> libertarian notions.  Anyone?
>
> -DOJP
>
> On Mon, Nov 26, 2012 at 2:05 PM, Lee Berman <severiansola at hotmail.com>wrote:
>
>>
>>
>> >Bill Burgess: I'd find it a little surprising that anyone would think
>> Severian was not
>> >freely making the decisions which lead him on his path.
>>
>> I'm thinking Daniel Petersen's comment may have been inspired by
>> Severian's/Wolfe's own
>> line that "We believe that we invent symbols. The truth is that they
>> invent us; we are their
>> creatures, shaped by their hard, defining edges.".
>>
>> This would appear to fly in the face of "free will". How can we fully
>> have it if "symbols"
>> can control and define our choices?
>>
>> I think this adds religious philosophical depth to BotNS. We need the
>> illusion(?) of free
>> will to function as a human being on a day by day basis. But the devoutly
>> religious must
>> somehow reconcile this with the irrational awareness that we are the
>> creation of an
>> omniscient and omnipotent God who created the universe knowing it would
>> irrevocably lead
>> to every single micro-choice we end up making in life.
>>
>> The quote above is related to Severian's treasuring of the (false) coin
>> he received from
>> Vodalus and his lack of awareness that accepting the coin led to an
>> attachment to Vodalus
>> and the values he fought for, which affected his choice to disobey his
>> guild in regard to
>> Vodalus' follower, Thecla and many other choices after that.
>>
>> (it does make me wonder what new values Gene Wolfe found himself adopting
>> and what choices
>> he ended up making based on his acceptance of symbols such as a US
>> military uniform and gun)
>>
>> I wonder if this all relates in some way to the ring Horn chooses to wear
>> in Short Sun. I think
>> we readers are meant to understand it provides a portal for god-like
>> beings to possess him or
>> influence his choices. But for Horn, the ring might seem only to have
>> symbolic meaning. Perhaps
>> a practical example of how symbols might shape us when they represent
>> powerful forces beyond our
>> understanding.
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