A random question (spoilers)

[Anduan Pirate Princess]

Did anyone else think that Perse could be yet another manifestation of IT? She's female, she's powerful, and she talks to Illy through the drains at one point. Also, she was described as probably being old when the Jews were enslaved in Egypt (or something to that effect; I still have to buy the text and reread some parts.) Is this an obvious connection that we are supposed to make, or am I reading way too far into it?

Also, if Perse, or Persephone, is an evil spirit, is she the ship, or is the ship hers? Is she the ship and the china figure? I'd love to know more about the origin of the "treasure Elizabeth's father found, including the figurine. Before I finished the book, I was imagining that the "Perse" might be revealed to be a doomed pirate ship with a cursed treasure that led to its doom, a la Pirates of the Caribbean. I don't think the book necessarily lost any of its appeal by not including a more detailed backstory, but it is fun to speculate.

 

[GNTLGNT]

Did anyone else think that Perse could be yet another manifestation of IT? She's female, she's powerful, and she talks to Illy through the drains at one point. Also, she was described as probably being old when the Jews were enslaved in Egypt (or something to that effect; I still have to buy the text and reread some parts.) Is this an obvious connection that we are supposed to make, or am I reading way too far into it?

Also, if Perse, or Persephone, is an evil spirit, is she the ship, or is the ship hers? Is she the ship and the china figure? I'd love to know more about the origin of the "treasure Elizabeth's father found, including the figurine. Before I finished the book, I was imagining that the "Perse" might be revealed to be a doomed pirate ship with a cursed treasure that led to its doom, a la Pirates of the Caribbean. I don't think the book necessarily lost any of its appeal by not including a more detailed backstory, but it is fun to speculate.

....nope, never got a whiff of "giant cosmic spider"...the ship is hers, a ship of the damned and she made the mistake of storing her essence in something rather innocuous.....

 

[Walter Oobleck]

Take it a step further one way or another and call Perse a variation on Evil. On the one hand, evil (It) uses one's greatest fears and feeds off that one's fear, customized to the user, werewolf, bird, whatever. On the other hand, evil draws talent to itself and uses that...call it desire...quite the opposite of fear, and uses that for its ends. On the one hand, flight is justified. On the other hand, there is an embrace. There are variations throughout King's stories. If there is any like-kind exchange, Perse is more kin to Christine. Seems like there are variations of the Good Ship Lollipop, too, Booya Moon and its various incarnations to those who seek.
Maybe Perse has more in common with the Long Boy? Something to consider. But yeah, fun to speculate. One can certainly enjoy the story by doing other than simply reading for the enjoyment of the story...you can have one and the other, no problem, though the world is pete and repete with those who'd outlaw that kind of enjoyment, too. Time for a pickle.

 

[Samantha_]

All poetry is open to interpretation, as is writing ... so, to each their own thoughts on the meaning of Perse .... first she was an interpretation of mythology, to me. Beyond that, maybe she was a play on what we forget to remember. Edgar was too busy solving the supposed "great evil" that he forgot to pay attention to what mattered ... his daughter, his life, everyday living. So, by that redirection, maybe, metaphorically speaking ... the personification of evil, won. It's an analogy for live in the present and don't take your eye off the ball. There are a lot of thoughts that are born out through this story; it's one of my all time favorites.

 

[twiggymarie]

Did anyone else think that Perse could be yet another manifestation of IT? She's female, she's powerful, and she talks to Illy through the drains at one point. Also, she was described as probably being old when the Jews were enslaved in Egypt (or something to that effect; I still have to buy the text and reread some parts.) Is this an obvious connection that we are supposed to make, or am I reading way too far into it?

Also, if Perse, or Persephone, is an evil spirit, is she the ship, or is the ship hers? Is she the ship and the china figure? I'd love to know more about the origin of the "treasure Elizabeth's father found, including the figurine. Before I finished the book, I was imagining that the "Perse" might be revealed to be a doomed pirate ship with a cursed treasure that led to its doom, a la Pirates of the Caribbean. I don't think the book necessarily lost any of its appeal by not including a more detailed backstory, but it is fun to speculate.

Honestly, Perce reminded me of Rose Madder. It could just be that I finished that one before I moved onto Duma Key, but the same sense of...wrongness was invoked by me while reading it. If it was the same entity, which I seriously doubt, it's have to be long after her final marbles rolls into the sea.

I think Perce is really just another creature of the Prim. Her need to kill and hurt, devour souls, is reminiscent of those sorts of beings. I.e.; Dandelo, It, Mia, Rose Madder