From: maa32 <maa32@dana.ucc.nau.edu>
Subject: (urth) interview clipping on Free Live Free
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2001 07:08:25 

Before, I wrote
>
>As far as I remember from a Wolfe interview, I thought he identified Madame
>Serpentina as pride (she is a haughty wench) and Stubb as Envy.  I think 
Wolfe
>waffled a little on identifying Stubb (little man complex seems like envy
>mixed with pride to me).

to which rostrum replied:
>
>I think the key has to be each one's temptation scene.  Stubb's seems to
>be appealing to his desire to be thought smart and essential for an
>important case (and appealing to the young woman), thus Pride (Envy
>involves resenting someone else who has what you don't).  We don't see
>Serpentina's but it seems to have been about giving her a shot at real
>supernatural power which seems to fit best under Avarice (maybe "lust for
>power"?  Or do the Seven Deadlies put that under Avarice and reserve Lust
>for sexual sins?  Do all sins fit under one of the Seven?).
>
Here is a quote from an online interview accessible through Paul Duggan's web 
sight.

"GW: I suppose yeah. Yes. Somewhat the same concern. I tried to give the four 
borders, I tried to give each sort of a besetting sin. Madame Serpantina, it's 
pride. Candy, it is gluttony. Stub, I forget now. Osgood Barnes, sexuality of 
course.

JJ: And you drew them somewhat from the _________

GW: Envy, envy I think is Stubbs. And I wasn't trying to write allegory. I 
wasn't saying he was a personification of envy. I wanted to show men and women 
who were actually beset by these sins. "

I don't mean to beat a dead horse, but once again we need to consider the 
position of authorial intent: fallacy or definitively influential in 
interpretation?
Marc Aramini



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