When Red Fox of the Cloud People confronts Aryuk of the Tulat:
"Silence stretched amidst the wind." (p. 156)
When Red Fox jeers at Aryuk:
"Only the wind replied." (p. 157)
Observations
Momentous events will flow from this meeting. The interaction between these two groups is discussed in the following chapter, 1965 A.D.
It is hard to avoid the impression that the wind is a continual commentator or even a covert character in Poul Anderson's works. Here, it underlines or emphasizes an ominous silence, then is said to reply to a taunt. A search of the blog for "Wind" discloses how often this element punctuates Anderson's texts. Its virtual omnipresence becomes very evident with the close rereading that the texts in any case deserve.
1 comment:
Kaor, Paul!
I think all successful writers have favorite literary quirks, habits, or foibles. For Anderson, one of them was how often he used the wind in pathetic fallacies.
Ad astra! Seam
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