From: Michael Straight <straight@email.unc.edu>
Subject: Re: (whorl) Re: Digest whorl.v012.n032
Date: Wed, 31 Jan 2001 16:23:14 

On Wed, 31 Jan 2001, Alex David Groce wrote:

> Rostrum said:
> 
> > In fact, the only indication I can see that any of Silk's personality is
> > still in there is that bit where he refers to Seawrack's singing as being
> > Hyacinth's.
> 
> Even limiting things to OBW and IGJ, I disagree.  To name an instance
> that comes to mind immediately, without moving to the bookshelf, what
> about the last few lines of OBW, about catching the ball?

As I posted before, there's no reason to think Silk would even remember
anything about catching the ball and winning the game - at the time he was
preoccupied with his enlightenment (note his lame response when the boys
ask him what was the lesson in it).  Horn, on the other hand, obviously
remembers it well, since it's the first scene in his book about Silk.

The line makes sense as a metaphor Horn uses to sum up the philosophy he
articulated at the time to Silk: "You were their best player.  It wouldn't
have been fair to them if you hadn't played your best."  Which he has
lived out by helping Gaon.  Which he continues to preach to Mora.  It's a
statement that Horn has, like Silk, used his gifts to help the weak.

The line makes no sense read as "Silk" literally remembering winning that
game a long time ago.  Why would he mention it?   Does Silk habitually
reminisce about his atheletic triumphs over children?

-Rostrum


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