In chronological order of fictitious events, although not in the order of publication, "The Pirate" introduces Trevelyan Micah, a Coordination Service field agent or "Cordy."
In The Peregrine, Trevelyan travels with Nomads and reads Thorkild's memoirs which include the text of "Gypsy."
Thus, these three works form a triad although each has a different narrative mode. Listing them this time in order of publication:
"Gypsy," first person narration;
The Peregrine, third person narration;
in "The Pirate," there is a first person narrator but he is not the central character, Trevelyan, and is evident only in the opening and concluding passages. Otherwise, the story is a third person narrative about Trevelyan.
"We guard the great Pact: but the young generations, the folk of the star frontier, so often do not understand."
-Poul Anderson, "The Pirate" IN Anderson, The Complete Psychotechnic League, Volume 3 (Riverdale, NY, 2018), pp. 137-165 AT 137.
A generation after the events of the story:
"...I can tell you about Trevelyan Micah..." (ibid.)
"I suspect [Trevelyan] also wanted to renew his humanity at the wellspring of humankind..." (ibid.)
"We guard the great Pact... But the younger generations so often do not understand." (p. 165)
The unusual perspective enables this first person narrator to comment in a way that is closed to the omniscient narrator.
1 comment:
Kaor, Paul!
It might make sense to think of "The Pirate" as showing the events of a story later narrated by Trevelyan Micah. The opening and ending of the story seems to indicate that is how it should be understood.
And I have to keep myself from typing "Michael" when I wanted to write "Micah"!
Ad astra! Sean
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