From: John Moar <jmoar@zetnet.co.uk>
Subject: (urth) Little Severian and the Thing in the Jar
Date: Mon, 22 Jun 98 12:48:20 +0100

<newbie alert>

I=B9ve been lurking on this list for a while, and I=B9ve finally =
decided to start posting (I=B9ve had trouble with finding a computer =
to subscribe with - it=B9s a long story)

Anyway, I recently reread BotNS. Many of the things that might have =
confused me have been discussed on this list, leaving me even more =
confused. :-) However, there are two major points I haven=B9t seen =
discussed.

The first is the thematic point of the whole sequence in _Sword_ with =
Little Severian. I can see how it suggests Severian has a sister, =
lets Severian=B9s development of a conscience be shown, and carries =
forward a few plot points with Agia and Alzabos. But Little Severian =
is around for a long time to be just a plot function, and I don=B9t =
quite get it.

The second is the scene in _Citadel_ with the homunculus. I have no =
idea what _this_ is about, other than possibly a reference to the =
works of Samuel Beckett. _The Encyclopaedia of Science Fiction_ =
suggests that this is Severian=B9s sibling, but Merryn seems far more =
likely from previous discussions here.

I really hope I=B9m not asking something everyone understands so well =
they=B9ve never bothered mentioning... <g>


--
Please note, my name is _James_ Moar, not John. (same long story as =
above)

"...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

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