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Any chance she is a projection of Hyacinth/Kypris? She couldn't
possibly have her own personality. Something suppresses the memories
of eating dead sailors and allows her to communicate with Horn.<br>
<br>
On another note, Silk's relationship with Hy parallels the
nontraditional theories of Jesus' being married to Mary Magdalene?
Does that lead us anywhere, theologically or otherwise?<br>
<br>
And speaking of Mary, it has been noted by mythicists that if you
added up all the Marys in the life of Jesus you'd have about a
dozen---all the women are named Mary. This reminds me of St.
Catherine and her maids, of course. Same question as above.<br>
<br>
Speaking of Mary part 2: "The meaning [of the name Mary] is not
known for certain, but there are several theories including "sea of
bitterness", "rebelliousness", and "wished for child". However it
was most likely originally an Egyptian name, perhaps derived in part
from <i>mry</i> "beloved" or <i>mr</i> "love"."<br>
<br>
(Will Dan Brown's next novel assert that Mary was cloned? And why
not---she was perfect enough to be chosen as Jesus' mother!)<br>
<br>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 11/22/2013 11:14 AM, Lee wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote cite="mid:BLU175-W292227DEB9FBCC7341E508CFE00@phx.gbl"
type="cite">
<blockquote type="cite">
<pre wrap="">Darrell Burgan: The more I think about it, the more confused I
Darrell Burgan: the more I think about it, the more confused I am about the role
of Seawrack in the Short Sun novels. She is clearly an important character in OBW,
but there is little information about her origin, or even how she is involved in the
many great arcs of the story.
</pre>
</blockquote>
<pre wrap="">
Regarding her origin, I think there are two conflicting stories presented.
One is that she is a human girl who happened to fall into the water and was
taken under the wing (so to speak) of the monstrous Mother who nurtured her
and mutated her into a sea being.
I think that story is a lie and a deliberate deception to make her more
acceptable and appealing to Horn. I think her true origin can be found
between the lines.
Seawrack is a female figure who was budded off from the larger mass of
the giant undersea monster/god called The Mother. This is in parallel to
the female buds we see on the back of Great Scylla in RttW. And probably
also in parallel to the production of undines by Abaia on Urth.
Abaia is conflated with a boat armed with cannon in BotNS and I think the same
thing happens when Horn encounters the all-black pirate ship with its
female crew. Seawrack loses her arm when Horn shoots and hits the most
prominent female on that boat. I think that "pirate ship" was The Mother.
In mythology, Echidna is the "mother of all monsters" (Typhon is the "father"
but that's a different thread). By some accounts, Echidna is the mother of
the sirens (beautiful but monsters nonetheless). Two of the Whorl goddesses
have the names of sirens, Molpe and Thelxiepeia. On Blue, the Mother's genesis
of the siren Seawrack (not her real name) establishes her connection to Echidna
for me.
</pre>
<blockquote type="cite">
<pre wrap="">I can't escape the feeling that understanding her is somehow key to
understanding the Short Sun epic.
</pre>
</blockquote>
<pre wrap="">
Seawrack is a big part of OBW. In the next two books, she is there, but mostly
just as a presence, a memory, a longing. A song that continues to sing in Horn's
mind.
I find the explanation of her importance to be autobiographical in nature. Just
as I get the sense that Horn's relationship with Nettle and his children (natural
and inhumi) is meant to reflect something of Wolfe's feelings for his own family,
I think Seawrack serves a similar purpose. What more can be said? Isn't there
someone in your life who was a "Seawrack"? Someone who is still provoking a sense
of wistful longing?
Here is Gene Wolfe's response when asked about Seawrack by an interviewer from
Christian Fandom:
</pre>
<blockquote type="cite">
<pre wrap="">DJB: What's going on with Seawrack in On Blue's Waters? She almost seems like a rape
victim. What does her character's reactions signify?
</pre>
</blockquote>
<pre wrap="">
</pre>
<blockquote type="cite">
<pre wrap="">GW: If you can't understand Seawrack, I can't make you understand her.
</pre>
</blockquote>
<pre wrap="">
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.christian-fandom.org/oli-gw.html">http://www.christian-fandom.org/oli-gw.html</a>
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</pre>
</blockquote>
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