From: Jason Voegele <voegele.6@osu.edu>
Subject: (urth) PEACE
Date: Wed, 11 Jun 1997 02:00:37 


[Posted from URTH, a mailing list about Gene Wolfe's New Sun and other works]

OK, I've just finished rereading PEACE, and, of course, it was wonderful.
As with most Wolfe works, it's beautifully written, subtle, multi-layered,
thought-provoking, and extremely intelligent.  What I don't understand about
this book (well, *one* of the things that I don't understand) is why Wolfe
has written such a beautiful book about a (probably mass) murderer.  I
understand that having the narrator kicked-the-bucket from the outset opens
a whole slew of narrative possibilities, but what new facet is added by his
killing spree?  With any other author, I could probably be convinced that
the murders were thrown in just to see if the reader could spot them, but
not with Wolfe.  There is *nothing* in a Wolfe story that doesn't have some
sort of significance.

Personally, I think this probably ties in with the solipsism thing (assuming
there is a solipsism thing.)  Are the murders perhaps signifying that when
Weer passes on, that the world he has evoked in PEACE will also pass on?  Is
PEACE intended to be Weer's catharsis, telling his story and the stories of
his victims so that they can at last Rest In PEACE? (Pun intended, but not
merely as a joke.)  If so, then it's odd that Weer never actually admits to
any killings.

Anyone have any other ideas?

Jason