Chapter Six
“...rather than fly.”
In Galactic Pot-Healer more physical characteristics of the werjes are described. One specimen is a “portly organism with a long, ropy tail” with “fuzzy paw[s].”1 It also has gray lips, as well as teeth and elongated thumbnails.2 According to Mali Yojez “‘their reflexes are so acute.’”3 One is even seen “smoking some peculiar form of native grass.”4
By the time of that novel the werjes are employed in jobs such as driving the taxi service.5 A more detailed explanation will be made for how this comes about in the speculative outro section of this blog.
“...the creature living out its bloodless life inside it.”
Keep this note of the fact that Nick senses another presence within the werj that is not its own.
“‘...smells of fish.’”
The revulsion the werjes have towards Horace’s smell, reminding them of fish and the sea may have a greater significance which will be elaborated in the notes for the twelfth chapter.
“‘...concerns the war.’”
It is here that a war on Plowman’s Planet is first brought up. This war will be corroborated with other denizens of the planet.
“‘...aware of Glimmung’”
The presence Nick perceived in one of the werjes is identified as being Glimmung himself.
Glimmung’s ability to inhabit other beings is also displayed in Galactic Pot-Healer throughout. A prime example is when Glimmung makes a mental presence in Fernwright’s mind when he arrives on Plowman’s Planet.6
Mali Yojez explains that Glimmung is capable of “‘reflex relocation’” by using his brain. Not only can he inhabit others, he can also astral project “‘from one locus to another without time-lapse.’”7
With this piece of information, the incident with Horace seeming to randomly stare at one spot on the spaceship bound for Plowman’s Planet in chapter four may very well be another instance of Glimmung’s reflex relocation. How and why he would know to spy on the Grahams will be explained in the notes for chapter nine and especially chapter twelve.
“‘...too late for any of us to escape.’”
A shared theme between Nick and the Glimmung and Galactic Pot-Healer is that of fate versus freewill as well as the theme of interpretation of the written word. In multiple instances in both books, characters will state their view of what a particular passage means, often in contrast to another’s reading.
Yet another theme is that of the legitimacy and ultimate authority of stated accounts and the written word, asking whether it can truly be relied upon.
“‘...no longer burned.’”
With this statement Glimmung is revealed to not be native to Plowman’s Planet but from another world entirely whose sun had burnt out a long time before.
This is corroborated by the Earth phone encyclopedia in Galactic Pot-Healer which states, “‘it had migrated [to Plowman’s Planet] several centuries ago...’”8
“‘...who could pay five cents.’”
Assuming the werj is telling the truth, it either misspoke about the use of five cents, since Glimmung’s arrival on Plowman’s Planet is long before humanity arrived, or it is saying whatever the value equivalent of whatever the wubs were asking the nunks for so the Grahams would better understand.
“‘...the lies of the Grand Four...’”
From the negative portrayal the nunks got from the news reporter’s claims of them being war-mongers back in chapter two, it appears that the book about the war that the werjes intend to give the Graham family is the main source of information to those outside of Plowman’s Planet.
“‘...misled by the printers...’”
From the blame being placed on the printers, it seems that they are the ones leading the Grand Four with the support of the spiddles, the nunks, and the human settlers.
“‘...we fight for Glimmung...’”
Glimmung leads the opposing side with support from the werjes, the trobes, and the father-things.
“...black fire, like a torch underwater.”
This imagery of fire and water is reminiscent of how Glimmung will first reveal himself to Fernwright in Galactic Pot-Healer specifically appearing as “a hoop of water spinning on a horizontal axis” and “a transversal loop of fire” on the vertical axis.9
The color black also takes on significance in Galactic Pot-Healer. This detail will be elaborated on in both the notes for chapter twelve and the speculation outro.
“...One Summer Day, it was called.”
This book that the Graham family receives is in fact not about the war on Plowman’s Planet, which is identified as The Last and Final War, but something far more important, to both this story as well as to Galactic Pot-Healer.
The possible meaning of this enigmatic title will be discussed in the outro portion of this blog.
“‘...don’t want to read it,’ he said aloud.”
Despite Nick’s initial reaction to the book’s contents, he will see it differently during the twelfth chapter.
1) Galactic Pot-Healer (Vintage Books, 1994), pg. 88
2) Ibid, pgs. 149-150
3) Ibid, pgs. 88
4) Ibid, pg. 148
5) Ibid, pgs. 88 and 149
6) Ibid, pgs. 84-85
7) Ibid, pg. 89
8) Ibid, pg. 26
9) Ibid, pg. 41
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