Poul Anderson, The Enemy Stars, 15.
Ryerson says that:
"'...the sea is the most inhuman thing on our planet...'" (p. 118)
The Ysans, who worshiped Lir, would agree. Ryerson's sea is the North Atlantic whereas Maclaren, from New Zealand, had associated the sea with hope and life. However, he has come to agree with Ryerson that any ocean is too big, old, blind and beautiful for humanity. Looking at "...the million suns of the Milky Way...," he adds:
"'Even this black ocean we are wrecked in.'" (ibid.)
Yet again, space as sea.
3 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
And I agree with Anderson's use of metaphors analogies about the sea and space. Again, what matters is how some human beings strove to overcome difficulties, setbacks, disasters, catastrophes, etc., of the kind seen in THE ENEMY STARS.
Sean
If you've ever been caught in surf, or a strong undertow, the overwhelming sensation is one of -power-.
Dear Mr. Stirling,
That's exactly what happened to me many years ago--being caught by an undertow and being pulled out to sea. However, I kept my head and swam back to shore. PANICKING very likely would have killed me.
Sean
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