The word "masquerade" is used both of the Howard Families in Robert Heinlein's Future History and of the Rostomily Brotherhood in Poul Anderson's Psychotechnic History. The Howards capitalize the word, thus: "Masquerade." Reading one future history series, we are sometimes conscious of its parallels with others. Their Chronologies could be displayed in parallel columns. Heinlein's "If This Goes On" refers to a World War III but presents no further information about it. Both series have a Revolution.
Surely Jeanne Donner should realize that the masquerading Naysmith is not her husband? As I understand it, clones develop differently from birth although Anderson could not have known that when writing this. The Brothers should not be so similar that they all quote Shakespeare.
We have got experience of people who look very similar. My friend, Fran, knew that he had a double walking around in the Republic of Ireland. A woman ran toward him, embraced and kissed him and said, "All is forgiven!" He replied, "I am not who you think I am but I know about him." I once shouted "Mary" at a woman who looked very like a Mary that I knew. I later learned that she was another woman also called "Mary." I approached another guy asking doubtfully, "You're not John?" As soon as he said, "No," I realized that he had a different voice and personality. I was recently questioned twice by police and a security man followed me into our bank and enquired as to my identity. I closely resembled a wanted guy. The police put his image on Facebook and some people were asking if it was me. Clergymen in their uniform clerical garb can be mistaken for each other at a distance. I think that this explains a real life ghost story that I heard from a Catholic parish priest.
5 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
I agree, even identical twins who had grown up together should differ in some ways.
That must have been awkward, strongly resembling a criminal suspect!
Happy New Year! Sean
Sean,
I established my ID by showing my driving license. The guy was wanted for something serious.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul and Mr. Stirling!
Paul: Good, but still a bit alarming.
Mr. Stirling: I've been told I looked like a younger Garrison Keillor!
Happy New Year! Sean
My eldest brother (born in 1942, 11 years before me) looks and sounds very much like me; we're sometimes mistaken for each other on the phone.
We have the same coloring, same color hair and eyes, similar features, and also have similar personalities and many similar interests, too.
Conversely, my other two brothers (I'm the youngest of four) are absolutely unlike me physically, and in their personalities.
One's a 6-ft green-eyed redhead, and the other is five-ten and thin and wiry with an aquiline face, resembling my father rather closely.
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
That goes to show how the children of two parents don't always resemble each other, in either face or character.
Oddly, I thought just now of Louis XVI and his treacherous cousin Philip, Duke of Orleans. They were utterly different in character, but strongly resembled each other in looks.
Happy New Year! Sean
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