From: Derek Bell <dbell@maths.tcd.ie>
Subject: Re: (urth) Holly Hollander's novel
Date: Fri, 10 Oct 1997 17:36:54 +0100


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

In message <199710092129.OAA10832@lists1.best.com>, Nutria writes:
>	My own guess is that HH is a "juvenile," like *The Devil in a Forest.* 
>So,perhaps we should not look for anything too deep.
>	There is a kind of semi-allegorical structure to the tale --
>the kind of thing Wolfe often does (like "The Man in the Pepper
>Mill"). Holly's old family is completely breaking down, and she finds
>a new family, in a house on the edge of town, presided over by a
>"resurrected" criminal who specializes in crime (sin). With a foot
>wound, of course.

	It struck me that Wolfe had infantile paralysis, otherwise
known as poliomyelitis. I think one common symptom is paralysis of the
legs; perhaps that's why Wolfe chooses this religious symbol so often
- it relates to his own life.

>	And, there are three (count'em three) men in the new house on the edge 
>of town that becomes Holly's new home. Let's see. One of them is a cook, so he
>would be the Holy Spirit; and note his name: Muddy Brooks.
                                              ^^^^^^^^^^^^
	Say, did he play electric guitar? :-) This book's got loads of
Chicago references! I wouldn't put it past Wolfe to deliberately
choose a character to have many types of references/connotations:
e.g. both religious and Chicago-related.

	For instance, "Muddy Brooks" sounds like a thinly disguised
variation of "Muddy Waters". And he lives in this house of Blue's!

	Tercel, humming "Mannish Boy"