From: mary whalen <marewhalen@yahoo.com>
Subject: (urth) Re:  A Solar Labyrinth
Date: Sun, 5 Jul 1998 00:29:48 

This is Sean Whalen (prion).

When I saw the debate about A Solar Labyrinth, I reread it, keeping
the previous discussions in mind.  It seems to be about books (or
fantasy books), rather than television.

At the beginning, the narrator says that few mazes are now built, and
those that are are built of cheap and unoriginal material.  This seems
 to be a comment on the quality and number of enjoyable (or SF/F) books.

The things that the maze is built of are the elements of the setting,
plot, etc.  The shadows that the people must traverse and that change
with the sunlight represent the story of the book as it is read. 
Successfully completing the maze means you have understood the message.

When adults get stuck in the maze, it means that they cannot
understand the message of the story.  Children, if they get stuck,
know that they can just walk away and come back to it to try again
(they can stop reading and read it again, no one can no everything
about a story upon first reading it).

Since children with glasses are often perceived as bookworms, etc.,
there is the passage that says, "glasses help."

The man called Mr. Smith is the author.

Every detail here may not be exactly correct, but this was my general
impression.  Anyone have a more detailed analysis?

prion
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