Chris/Arinnian asks Tabitha/Hrill why she speaks Anglic and addresses him by his human name. She reminds him that he and she are human and that they do not have feathers, which are part of the Planha language, and asks him why he minds. His inner reflection on this question is revealing:
"That personal a question...an insult, except between the closest friends, when it becomes an endearment.... No, I suppose she's just thinking human again." (p. 56)
Two Observations, The First Minor, The Second Major
(i) At school, a friend who had borrowed Time Patrol came across a short italicized passage and asked me, "Who says this?" I thought that it was obvious but I explained that Poul Anderson always italicizes inner thoughts to differentiate them clearly from dialogue between his characters. Chris thinks, "That personal a question...," but Tabitha does not hear it. We read it because we are outside their universe and are informed by an omniscient narrator.
(ii) Of course Tabitha is thinking human again, Chris. She is human as she has just reminded you! But Arinnian of Stormgate Choth has an idee fixe. Poul Anderson presents very clearly both the outer and the inner problems faced by his characters.
OK, folks. Food, then an evening elsewhere and some other reading in between.
Laterz.
9 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
Christopher Holm is an irritating "expletive deleted"! I far prefer Tabitha Falkayn and Philippe Rochefort.
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
We know!
Tabitha and Philippe are good guys on opposite sides. I have known good people in bad organizations and vice versa.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
I doubt there are any good people who are drug traffickers or sex slavers trafficking in women or children. Or fanatical jihadists plotting their latest atrocities.
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
No, indeed. But I knew some good people who were democratic socialists and who honestly believed that a single-party despotism was worth defending until it collapsed. History has long-drawn-out consequences.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
That I can agree with, people clinging too long to failed ideas/hopes.
Ad astra! Sean
Lowest of the low, vilest of the vile: abortionists, drug traffickers, sex slavers, terrorists.
Sean
Christopher is sort of excessive in his identification with the Ythrians.
Of course, that does happen. Particularly with young people.
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
Exactly, Christopher identified so closely with Ythrians that he was demeaning his species, the human race, which angered me.
Ad astra! Sean
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