How often does a text draw you into dialogue with it? At the bottom of p. 94, Anderson writes that ya-Kela and his men attacked the camp. We think, "They are not men." At the top of p. 95, Anderson writes:
"Yes - his men." (p. 95)
In a published letter to a friend, Ludwig Wittgenstein wrote, "I am afraid that the Devil will come to take me away." I thought, "This is Wittgenstein. He does not mean that literally." Wittgenstein's very next sentence, bracketed, was: "(I mean this quite literally.)" In a TV comedy set in ancient Pompeii, the British comedian, Frankie Howard, asked, "What's a Grecian urn?," replied, "About five bob (shillings) a week." I said, "That's an old one!" Frankie looked straight in to the camera at me and said, "What do you mean, it's an old gag? It was new in these days!" When I told a friend that there was a reality storm in Neil Gaiman's The Sandman, he commented, "That sounds like something out of Star Trek." I told him that one of the characters said, "That sounds like something out of Star Trek."
5 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
Here we touch on what can be a difficult matter of terminology. The proper ways of describing non-human rational beings in physical bodies. I would argue that "man/men" and "woman/women" is most accurately and properly used of human beings. But, non-human rational beings should be TREATED as or like men/humans. By and large that is what Poul Anderson did, while making plain non-humans had to be treated like men. Also, to use "man/men" too broadly could have led to confusion and misunderstanding. Most times we see Anderson calling non-humans "beings."
Sean
Sean,
But here he means that, inspired by Valland, they acted like MEN.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
I agree, of course. I should have said that FIRST, before going on to a wider discussion of the problem of terminology.
Sean
Sean,
Some people used to use "white man" or just "white" as a compliment! that is rightly unacceptable now.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
Of course I agree. And Louis Farrakhan, leader of the Nation of Islam "church" in the US, preaches similarly racist things against "whites."
Sean
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