<div dir="ltr">I can think of at least one reason for Severian's meeting Ultan, and that is their discussion of the Alzabo and the sharing of consciousness with the use of the analeptic alzabo. But, like you, I feel there is something more I am missing. The beginning of the chapter is a good example, when Sev mentions that he felt as if he and Ultan were both buried or something close to that. What does he really mean by this and when is it echoed later in the books? Maybe someone around here has a theory.<br>
<br><div class="gmail_quote">On Mon, Sep 29, 2008 at 12:03 PM, Matt Teel <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:adeodatus43@yahoo.com">adeodatus43@yahoo.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
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<div>Thanks Adam.</div>
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<div>I did find those things in the archives (the reference to Borges is especially interesting to me). But I'm thinking all of that is pretty self-referential, and that surely there is some reason from *within the story* for the existence of this scene: some plot piece put into place, for example, that I'm missing. </div>
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<div>Every scene in a book generally has a number of things going on. While Wolfe's own Hitchcock-like appearance, and the reference to Borges, are interesting, I have a hunch they aren't the *reason* for the scene. And that's what's really got me stumped.</div>
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<div>Thanks again! I appreciate your taking the time.</div>
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<div>Matt</div>
<div><br>--- On <b>Mon, 9/29/08, Adam Thornton <i><<a href="mailto:adam@io.com" target="_blank">adam@io.com</a>></i></b> wrote:<br></div>
<blockquote style="border-left: 2px solid rgb(16, 16, 255); padding-left: 5px; margin-left: 5px;">From: Adam Thornton <<a href="mailto:adam@io.com" target="_blank">adam@io.com</a>><br>Subject: Re: (urth) a lurker asks a question<br>
To: <a href="mailto:adeodatus43@yahoo.com" target="_blank">adeodatus43@yahoo.com</a>, "The Urth Mailing List" <<a href="mailto:urth@lists.urth.net" target="_blank">urth@lists.urth.net</a>><br>Date: Monday, September 29, 2008, 3:45 PM<div>
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<div>On Sep 29, 2008, at 10:34 AM, Matt Teel wrote:</div>
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<div>I've gone through the Urth archives and haven't found an answer, so I thought I would bring it to the group. What does this chapter contribute to the story? I mean, on a superficial level we certainly get a feel for life in the Citadel, the stagnation of the culture; we get some interesting information about another guild ... but what else? What am I missing? Surely there's more to it than that.</div>
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<div>This scene establishes Nessus as Buenos Aires. The blind librarian is Borges. I believe that Cyby is a Gary-Stu. Mostly, I think it's a big tip of the hat to Borges and his influence on _BotNS_.</div>
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<div>Adam</div></div></div></div></blockquote></td></tr></tbody></table><br>
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