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Originally Posted by Sparrow
Other constellations would have lacked symbolism, and most readers wouldn't have recognised them just from a description of the stars - Orion is the most widely known, and easily recognised constellation seen from Britain.
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Thanks, I didn't know that. In my country, the constellation known in English as 'the big dipper' or 'the plough' (part of ursa major, I think) is the most commonly known. Indeed my father told me it was the cart/wagon of the god Thor
Anyway, it's interesting to know Orion is best known in Britain, since Forster was English.
Quote:
Originally Posted by kennyc
The thing that intrigued me most (I think) about the story was the "search" for ideas on the part of Vashti and others including Kuno. I just re-read this section where he really sets up the tone and conflict that is behind the story (this just precedes the Orion description:
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This search for ideas struck me, too. It seems that it's something everyone looks for, but according to Forster, they seem only truly to be found through direct, physical experience and people search ultimately in vain if they rely on input from the machine. Vashti urges her listeners of her lecture (a ten min. lecture! - short) to study early musicians for ideas - and right after the lecture she listens to a lecture on the sea - by somone who physically was there.