Singularities

[Ralph Howard]

Here is a point that as confused me on my readings of this section
(which is one on my favorites), so that I thought I would try to get a
discussion started about it.  The last paragraph of page 67 (Penguin
edition) begins:

        Here is Cructchfield or Croughfield, the westwardman.
     Not "archetypical" westwardman, but *the only*.
     Understand, there was only one.  There was only Indian who
     ever fought him.  Only on fight, one victory, one loss.  And
     only one president, and one assassin, and one election.
     True.  One of each of everything.  You had thought of
     solipsism, and imagined the structure to be populated--on
     your level--by only one terribly, one. No count at any other
     levels.  But it turns out to be not quite that lonely.
     Sparse, yes, but a good deal better than solitary.  One of
     everything's not so bad.  Half an Ark's better that none. ...

What is TRP trying to get at with the one and only one or each kind?
By no less an authority than *the text* there is more (or less) afoot
than mere archetypes.  And not only am I confessed but "Slothrop is
puzzled" which results (page 70) in the question and answer dialogue
(between Slothrop and PISCES?, Them?, *the text*?) making it even more
bazaar.  I also don't recall this idea being picked up latter in the
book, but it has been a couple of years since I read the whole thing.



Ralph

Who, though most lurking, is enjoying the group read greatly.

-- 
Ralph Howard                    Phone:  (803) 777-2913 
Department of Mathematics       Fax:    (803) 777-3783 
University of South Carolina    e-mail: howard at math.sc.edu
Columbia, SC 29208 USA          http://www.math.sc.edu/~howard/