The Garden of Forking Paths

[jonpaul]

Thanks so much to Heather for posting that short story recently! I
have not read it since college, though I can still recall the
assignment to write an essay on what we thought its theme was.

So my discussion question is, what do you think the theme and/or
message of The Garden of Forking Paths is? If you have not read it
yet, you can find it here: http://files.meetup.com/799056/garden.pdf

I personally do not think it is anything as obvious as "time" or
"fate." Doubtless, Borges knew readers would ponder the meaning of his
story, and for our pursuits he left a clue.

"To omit a word always, to resort to inept metaphors and obvious
periphrases, is perhaps the most emphatic way of stressing it. That is
the tortuous method preferred, in each of the meanderings of his
indefatigable novel, by the oblique Ts'ui Pên."

[hfe...@gmail.com]

Thanks for your thoughts on the story. I have to say that it has
always been a bit of a head-scratcher for me. I really like the
story, and I have pulled useful things from it (not the least of which
is that the answer to a riddle is the thing not stated, as you point
out above). I did read that this story is particularly interesting
because Borges presaged the multiple worlds hypothesis that came about
with quantum physics. His overt theme? Maybe something like duty?
What do you think the answer is? Have you read his story about the
man who was made into a messiah-figure? That one is pretty chilling.

[Adam]

Thanks to Good Friday, I finally got a chance to read Garden of
Forking Paths. I wonder if this story is actually the infinite maze
that is discussed by the characters. Maybe it is designed for people
to try to work out an unsolvable riddle, mentally sending them around
an endless maze. Because it is missing, there isn't even a beginning
to the story. No beginning and no end.


Adam

> > indefatigable novel, by the oblique Ts'ui Pên."- Hide quoted text -
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