Chapter 45: The Duck and Slothrop

[Dave Monroe]

Yet another head-slapping moment ...

"... now the Duck is a Fugitive, flying where it
wishes,-- often indeed visiting the Academy of
Sciences, where they have learn'd that the greater its
speed, the less visible it grows, until at around a
Thousand Toises per Minute, it vanishes entirely,--
but one of many newly-acquir'd Powers, bringing added
Urgency to finding it as quickly as possible, before
this 'Morphosis carries it beyond our Control.'" (M&D,
Ch. 37, 373-4)

   "As to the Duck's actual Presence, Opinions among
the Company continue to vary.[...] those more
succeptible to the shifts of Breeze between the
Worlds, notably at Twilight, claim to've seen the
actual Duck, shimmering into Visibility, for a few
moments, then out again." (M&D, Ch. 45, p. 448)

Cf. ...

"... it's doubtful if he can ever be 'found' again, in
the conventional sense of 'positively identified
and detained.'" (GR, Pt. IV, p. 712).  

Et al. ...

--- David Morris <fqmorris at hotmail.com> wrote:

> These quotes (good choices, Dave) make me think of
> Slothrop.  Constructed by Them, he transforms into a
> force beyond Their control, becoming a fugitive 
> who MUST be caught, brought back under control. 
> Like the duck's 'morphosis, Slothrop also becomes
> more and more invisible until finally opinions vary
> as to whether he ever actually existed.  I don't
> think these parallels are accidental.

Thanks.  Me, too.  No dor I.  Very, very good.  Things
are indeed more productive, not to mention better,
here when we manage to play nice.  Thanks again ...

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