From: maa32 <maa32@dana.ucc.nau.edu>
Subject: Nerd? Artisan? PEACE!?
Date: Fri, 04 Jan 2002 19:45:19 -0700

Andy R wrote:
>
Wolfe is what we call a Nerd, in this decadent age, and in a better one
        would call an Artisan. His interest is in working quietly, cunningly, 
and well; his hope is to be ruled by a true and good King; and his nearest 
self
        image (in his works) is the protagonist of PEACE.

        This is obvious from his books. Severian is no self-image of Wolfe: I
        never read a less convincing portrayal of the interior monologue of 
and
        aggressive and sexually violent man. Silk, celibate and constantly
        suffering for his high status, is something Wolfe is much happier 
with.
>
I cannot agree with you on your characterization of a nerdy celibate, 
especially from PEACE.  Weer molests an underage girl!  He calls sex 
absolutely ordinary, going on all the time.  Come on, all Wolfe's females are 
close to hookers (some are sympathetic hookers).  I think that Severian's 
interior monologue is a good representation of an aggressive man (and maybe a 
sexually violent man) because, let's face it, he doesn't think about it that 
much, he just does it, and I think that is pretty realistic.  Do you think 
Mike Tyson thinks about anything when he beats the crap out of people or 
molests them? (here about that thing in Cuba over New Years?)  He doesn't even 
remember the rules of boxing while he's in the ring.  Just think of Mike Tyson 
telling you about his experience in the brothel where the girl said she'd 
scream and he knew there was nobody around, and I think you'll come close to 
what you get in that scene in Shadow of the Torturer.