FOREIGNER: Discussion Post #5

[krait]

Putting this up a bit late today; sorry to keep anyone waiting!

How have chapters 7 and 8 been treating you? Any new observations, theories, sore points, fabulous quotations?

Comments

[spaceoperadiva]

I also loved Bren with the tourists. The part with the kid comparing heights reminded me of another discussion about Bren being "coded female". I don't think he really is coded female; he seems very male to me and this part, where he is compared to a kid in size emphasizes that for me. He's not woman-sized in comparison to Atevi, he's child-sized. Scary. :)

The first time I read this and this time as well, it seems to me that Banichi is being deliberately provocative during their dinner together. Like he's up to something. Emphasized by Jago's "I've never betrayed you. . ." speech.

Bren, why are you answering Cenedi's summons? TSTL, much?

[krait]

That's interesting! We've had some other child comparisons already -- Bren in bed, sick, while the "adults" talk around him is explicitly compared to childhood; and I got a rather childlike mental image when he first met Ilisidi and was sitting on the chair tucked up -- that's not an adult posture, that's how little kids sit.

I did get some femaleness-feelings from bits of the chapter, though: notably, Bren's little "think of the children!" appeal; that both the people he thinks of calling are female ("Barb, or even, God help him, Hanks") and he likes Jago because she's "shy" and younger than Banichi; his private concern over hygiene/sweating perceptibly; the dithering and pondering and self-reproach over the emotional expectations and feelings of those around him.

Some of which is also child-connotative, admittedly; but then, women are often infantilised by society, too, so there's overlap there, as when Bren is told to not "worry" about things, to go away and leave them to do their job uninterrupted; or when his concerns are considered irrelevant to those around him...

I'm totally going to start counting the child-inferences from now, on, too, not just the female ones. :D

TSTL, much?

Is that "Too Stupid To Live"?

I suspect for Bren that might stand for "Too Scared To Lie" by this point! Banichi's basically said that Cenedi's not out to kill him, with strong evidence; maybe any Security willing to talk to him looks like a good thing to be close to? *grin*

Cenedi

[spaceoperadiva]

Banichi tells Bren that he is best when he is following his professional instinct, and Bren's instincts told him earlier not to trust Cenedi. For that matter, Bren doesn't really seem to trust Banichi 100% and one could argue he has good reason to not be 100% sure of Banichi.

Answering a mysterious summons from Cenedi at this point seems a bit like going down into the scary basement to investigate the noise when you know that there are zombies in the neighborhood, and your only available means of self defense is a hair brush. At least he's not in a bathrobe and high heels. . .