From: "George M. Terry" <gmterry@ucdavis.edu>
Subject: Re: (whorl) Re: Digest whorl.v012.n037
Date: Mon, 05 Feb 2001 09:15:27 

Long time list observer, first time poster...

One of the things that struck me in RTW along this vein is the idea that 
Horn's death/re-incarnation/resurrection is very Christ-like. He dies on 
Green pretty selflessly, and is re-incarnated/resurrected as Silk.  This is 
especially seen in the scene with Olivine at the Calde's palace where 
Horn/Silk makes the offering of his body and blood in the form of bread and 
wine to the Outsider.

Perhaps this movement of Horn->Silk mirrors the essence of the spiritual 
journey for Gene Wolfe? I don't think that Horn is stupid...he knew Silk, 
and even says at one point in RTW that he realizes he bears a physical 
resemblance to Silk since returning to the Whorl. I think it represents a 
basic humility in Horn.  Horn had previously immersed himself in Silk, 
certainly viewing him as an model of what is 'right' and 'good'.  In his 
journey, learning to love, learning the inhumi secret, he becomes more and 
more like Silk, until at the moment of his death, dying for a mission of 
compassion for New Viron, he actually becomes Silk. Would this not be the 
goal that Wolfe would seek in his own life?

Ultimately I think that Horn merely 'incarnates' Silk, in much the way that 
Jesus incarnated the divine logos. Any theory that looks at a 'trinity' 
must include the Outsider, as well.

George Terry



>I was wondering if anyone else had already brought
>up that Silk/Horn/Oreb is a trinity? I'm sure this
>must have already been brought up, but is there
>a search utility for the list? It's cool though ...
>I can't beleive I didn't think of it sooner -
>Silk would be like the "god" part, inside of the
>human part - Horn, and Oreb is a holy spirit
>part - like in the scene of the baptism where
>the holy spirit descends int he form of a dove -
>except what's cool are all the differences in the
>story -
>
>In face, if we imagine that Horn's spirit has
>been transported - then Horn is actually the
>"god" part, even though he's more human, and
>Silk is the "body" part, and Oreb who is the holy
>spirit is a night chough, black, who can see in
>the dark, whereas a dove is white, and innocent.
>
>it's all very interesting. and Horn wants to be more
>like a human. and in a way, I feel this is meant
>to represent people wanting to be more perfect, or
>more godlike, but there is an irony in the story
>that Horn is the 'actual' human part - but is
>allegorically representing the 'soul' part. or at
>least, that's waht I am imagining so far. I could
>be totally offbase, it has been known to happen. :)
>
>thanks for the name. I had trouble finding that
>plant, myself.
>
>mimosa
>
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