From: William Ansley <wansley@warwick.net>
Subject: Re: (whorl) Heresy
Date: Wed, 28 Feb 2001 00:38:49 

>I strongly suspect that the inability to reach a consensus is *because*
>of the very smart scholars here, not despite it. There's too much
>invention and over-interpretation going on in those fertile brains,
>and the straightforward interpretation is lost among the possibilies.
>It's like quiz programs, where most people can answer questions like
>"which species of white bear roams the unspoiled wastes of ..." because
>they have only ever heard of one kind of bear being white. Bear experts
>are less certain because they know black bears can be white, even without
>being albino.
>
>Spectacled Bear.
>
>"...it represents for me all that monomaniacal fabric of argument, so
>tightly woven that not even the tiniest objection or spark of light can
>escape its net, in which human minds become enmeshed whenever the
>subject is one in which no appeal to fact is possible" - _Sword_, Ch. 38

So, we're too darn smart for our own good, are we? Maybe.

But, I think the very smart, scholarly and fertile brain of Gene 
Wolfe is as much responsible for the lack of straightforward 
interpretation of his works as our collective brilliance.

I would like to see a straightforward interpretation of any of Gene 
Wolfe's novel or novella length works, or even some of his short 
stories. (Well, perhaps there are a few...)

But, Mr. Bear, you did come up with the perfect Wolfe quote to 
illustrate your point. Bravo!

William Ansley

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