No Subject

Hmmm, I saw your post back on the 29th (Re: The Meaning of the Ninth
Wave) and set it aside to answer later since I've been busy lately.
Normally, when I do that the question gets answered before I can get
back to it.  Alas, we Love-Hounds have been remiss in this department
of late as I've seen several such questions go unanswered.

> To change the subjhect, I've just finished reading Kerry Juby's "The Whole
> Story"... I was quite frankly amazed by my Lady KaTe's explanation of
>  _The_Ninth_Wave_! I thought it was a spiritual allegory of an adolescent's
>  transition to adulthood, and now I find out it's about a guy falling off
> a boat! *sigh* I've probably been listening to too much Genesis - I'm 
> searching for hidden meanings in anything...

This is what happens when we ignore basic questions, people turn to
things like Kerry Juby's book.

You should be aware that Juby's book has been widely panned for it's
slipshod journalism.  I'd have to check Juby's remarks on _The Ninth
Wave_ to point out any specific problems.  I seem to recall that Juby
did at least get the general idea correct but his details are
unreliable.  

The character in _The Ninth Wave_ is definitely a woman.  This is
most clearly evident in _Jig of Life_.  Also saying that _The Ninth
Wave_ is about "a guy falling off a boat" is sort of a gross
oversimplification.  More accurately, according to Kate...

| It's about someone who is in the water for the night - alone in
| the water.  And it's really about their past, present and future 
| coming to keep them awake to stop them drowning, to stop them 
| going to sleep until the morning comes. 

There is a tendency look for "hidden meanings" in great works of art 
and they are quite simply not always there.  _The Ninth Wave_ is a 
brilliant piece of story telling from the start.  Beyond that you 
have hundreds of little ideas and feelings and subtle nuances of 
these that you can peel away layer after layer.  None of these are 
really hidden but they may not be immediately obvious. 

_The Ninth Wave_ doesn't need any hidden meanings to make it a work 
of genius.  Being disappointed to find that there [probably] isn't 
one is missing the point.   Still, missing the point is perfectly
acceptable if you like.  When asked if it was important that people
recognize the concept nature of _The Ninth Wave_, Kate said...

| No, I don't think so.  I don't know if that's relevant or important 
| though.  I think the most important thing is that people that
| listen to it get something out of it, that they enjoy it.

You seem to have got the important part!


"Don't drive too slowly."                 Richard Caldwell
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