BookTalk.org

This thread is for talking about Ch. 2 - The Place Inside the Blizzard.

I'm sitting here with a cup of tea pretending I'm warmer than I am....we've been told to keep off the roads tomorrow as 40+ cm of snow is expected and more with drifts. I can very intimately begin to feel and understand the meaning of "cold" on Gethen.

This chapter, although sad, tragic even, is simply a beautiful chapter.....the most beautiful in the book. the peace, the sorrow, the absolute silence penetrates every pore with in your body.

Which brings me on to another point: the structure of the novel. At first I found it rather irritating. Yes. There is first-person narration. Yes, there is physical structure into chapters. But! At first glance (or reading), it appears to be a bit of a jumbled-up mess--first-person narrative from Ai (talk about blatant! "Ai" being "I"....certainly about as "in the first person" as you can get). Then we have the inclusion of myths. Ah, we say. We're going into another style here. No. Fooled again. We're into dialogue. Then history. Then first person narration by Estreven. Whoops. Now we're reading day-by-day journal entries. A bit confusing about just which protagonist is narrating as we are sometimes served up two opposing views of the same event. But this is Le Guin's genius!!! She dishes us out some wonderful circular narration, enhanced by multiple levels. It's a bit like playing 3 dimensional chess. There are so many levels at which to discuss this book.

oblivion wrote:There are so many levels at which to discuss this book.

You got that right!

You sound like you are just about where I am in the book. What struck me while reading it tonight, was the mention of basalt and mountain buliding in Winter. Infact, she mentions basalt twice. I associate basalt with the Earth, and the mountain building of the Earth, now we read that an alien planet is forming using the same mechanisms as Earth. She mentions hot spots, and cindercones, and fumeroles, all associated with Earth. Also, she mentions what I read as a decription of global warming, Estraven has been told that if the current trend continues on Winter, the temperature may reach into the 70's and he would not be able to survive at this temperature. Ai states that this same trend is seen on Earth. (I apologize, this is a bit past chapter 2)

oblivion wrote:Which brings me on to another point: the structure of the novel. At first I found it rather irritating.

I like the way the novel is structured. I enjoy the time outs in the narration for the myths and stories. The first person narration does flip flop between the two characters, but I like this as well, I feel I am able to see the true character of each.

Oh, but I do like the way it is structured. I enjoy circular structure (just not circular argumentation ).
As to where I am in the book, I'm on my 3rd reading of it. Trying to work through the different levels.

Wow, on your third reading! You are right about the different layers, I think they mesh together well, what part, or layer interests you the most?

I am exceedingly interested in the use of religious themes as well as the theme of journey. Afterall, all great sagas have the hero being expelled (in this case AI wasn't expelled but rather requested to use his "freedom of the country"), enduring hardship and danger, perhaps performing the one or the other task and then returning home in glory. A hard trek over hill and dale (of course, in those temps that is an understatement).This is what Ai did. I find the variation intriguing that Ai was more or less considering himself returning "home" to Karhide, where "even the food was better" and he didn't "feel as cold". This was returning home to a home which actually was not his It wasn't Earth, afterall. When did the transition occur? At once? An epiphany? No, gradually, during the physical journey. Once he arrived in Karhide, the inward as well as the outward journey had been completed.

There is also the inward journey, the understanding of the Gethenians, the understanding of himself, the understanding of the human. And the journey to love and what love really is.

Estreven, of course, was very busy at journeys. Being exhiled twice, having to leave the homes he knew, the security of the way humans on his planet worked and thought. He was prepared to make an even longer and harder journey than Ai was, prepared to accept the aliens and their ship. There is also the classical betrayel scene that is well-known in antique sagas.

Nothing like being on a journey filled with hardship and danger in order to bring two people together.

But as I mentioned, I am completely taken by le Guin's religious themes as well.

What level /levels do you enjoy?

I really enjoyed this chapter. I like the way sci fi authors use quotes from the mythology and literature of the worlds they have created to add depth to their creations. The inserts often act like a greek chorus, commenting on or satirising the action and characters of the "real" story. This chapter seems to be a harbinger of Estraven's various tragedies and and gives insight into his character. A nice touch.

Jeanette wrote: The inserts often act like a greek chorus

I like that! Thank you for the insight! Why do you think the planet has been given the attribute "Winter" (Gethen)?

On the structure: On my first reading I found it off-putting. Le Guin demands a great deal of attention from the reader in this book, doesn't she? To understand these tales and cultural notes you have to be really on your toes, noting that this one for instance was written in the reign of Argaven VIII -- how many readers are going to remember that the current king is Argaven XV, or flip back to check? Does she assume that every reader will read it at least twice?

But it is so tightly and intricately crafted that it richly rewards the repeat reader. Only after you know how it ends do you appreciate what is going on in the beginning.

Other people have been irritated by the structure though. I was poking around on the author's web site and found this hilarious letter: http://www.ursulakleguin.com/Reject.html.

There is also a lovely map of Gethen on that site -- my book didn't have one and I found it very helpful to envision the journey.

oblivion wrote:Why do you think the planet has been given the attribute "Winter" (Gethen)?

This is something that has really given me some thoughts to ponder. There are several interesting statements that have been made in the book. The book mentions that "Winter" lays above basalt, and that mountain buliding is occuring. Basalt is the foundation of Earth. Also, global warming has been mentioned. In the last part of the book, Ai mentions that the "Sea Hemisphere" has not yet been explored on the planet Gethen. South America is considered the "water Hemisphere". Also, Antartica has been mentioned. Is it just me, or does anyone else believe, that Gethen was once part of Earth, but due to global warming, or another disaster, Gethen seperated from North America, that the continents of Earth have seperated and are called planets due to there distance from one another? Winter would be an appropriate name from South America if it were to experience an ice age. Also, Ai is described as a black male, but, Ai is described as being just a little darker than Estraven, this would also describe the skin color of many people from South America.