From: Michael Richman <mrichman@cybernex.net>
Subject: Re: (whorl) Silk loves!
Date: Mon, 9 Jun 1997 20:10:31 


[Posted from WHORL, the mailing list for Gene Wolfe's Book of the Long Sun]

>Rest assured that I found it equally disturbing! (And I wasn't so sure
>about Oreb...) Now that I've had time to think about it, though, I'm
>really interested to see what Silk does next. How does he react to his
>world crashing into pieces? Does he come to understand that the Outsider
>is a spiritual God, and not at all like the programs in Mainframe? Does
>he come to a better understanding of Love (and that Hyacinth isn't its
>embodiment?)

I think Silk loved Hyacinth as a woman, and not as the embodiment of a
principle or a goddess.  It is Horn's opinion that Hyacinth was unworthy of
Silk's love, and even if Silk himself believed that, I doubt he would
consider that a valid reason to stop loving her.  I am reminded of the scene
in Shadow where Master Paelamon give's Severian Terminus Est.   Silk would
understand that Hyacinth believed that he didn't deserve her love, and
regard that as an equally valid, perhaps more valid, point of view.  Recall
his defense of the Trigivantes. 


Michael Richman
380 Homans Av
Closter, NJ  07624
mrichman@bc.cybernex.net