Erosion as a metaphor? (page #168)

[Aris Katsaris]

In Asimov's SF magazine there recently was a story called "Erosion" -- and since I had also recently reread the first Doctor Disaster chapter, it got me to thinking whether the "erosion" analyzed in the first page of that chapter can be seen as a metaphor.

Handy link to page #168.

To put it in brief: That whole chapter was about Annie learning to loosen up a bit more. But she only managed to loosen up further, because she had already loosened up a bit around Kat, opened her heart to her.

And now, just like water that enters a crack in a rock, Kat's pressure causes the crack to open up more. A process that is still ongoing.

And Kat is water.

....

So, any further thoughts? I'm still not certain if Tom really intended the "erosion" to be a metaphor of Annie's emotional progress with Kat in the role of water. But I think it kinda fits, even with the first treatise, so I really like it -- even if it's only art by accident.

[garlicgreens]

What an interesting observation! I think you are onto something here.

[edisdead]

I think this is spot on. Water is indeed the main erosional force on Earth.

Also, the events that followed immediately after that lecture with Randall's simulation was another instance where Kat tried to get Annie to open up a bit more.

Excellent eye, Aris.

edit: what is Annie representing in that Ora Lege Relege Labora Et Invenies page?

[Per]

If Kat is water there, then Annie is fire, which doesn't really fit the metaphor.

Edit: But Kat built a hoverbike, so she's also air, which leaves earth for Annie if they are to get two each.

[chiparoo]

This is excellent. As of yet not completely convinced if this is what Tom intended, but what a rad idea.

[mudmaniac]

I never saw it that way. It does quite fit in my mind.

[tyler]

But Kat's a maker, a Technocrat, which is a very Earthy thing to be.

Annie's very intellectual, which is a very Airy thing to be.

It all depends on which angle you come at it from.

[Aris Katsaris]

But Kat's a maker, a Technocrat, which is a very Earthy thing to be. Annie's very intellectual, which is a very Airy thing to be.

Which of the two would you say is more down-to-earth, and which one has her head in the clouds? :-)

Tom subverts many of our expectations. The girls contradict many of the stereotypical pairings between personality and role: For example -- the more fun-loving of the two girls (Kat) is also the better student. She's both an engineering tomboy *and* a boy-crazy young girl who cries when she reads Batman.

This technocrat is not very earthy at all. :-)

While the makeup-wearing, almost always serious, seemingly more adult Annie is utterly inexperienced in social interactions. Airy? www.kheper.net/topics/typology/four_humours.html indicates air as "amorous, happy, generous, optimistic, irresponsible" -- not the words I'd use to describe Annie.

[the bandit]

A metaphor can be apt without having to arch over an entire work's body.

[todd]

Though I wonder how much erosion we'll actually see in the webcomic. One of the cornerstones of "Gunnerkrigg Court" is that Annie is an extremely serious young girl, more attuned to the etheric world than the everyday world. So I don't think that we're likely to see Kat's influence cure her entirely of that, unless either the comic reaches its final chapters, or else "Gunnerkrigg Court" makes a major shift in tone and focus that makes Annie's "weird" qualities no longer integral to the story.

[Casey]

I think it was an apt metaphor for the events of that chapter, but that trying to apply it to the whole comic is overextending the metaphor. Or, basically what Bandit said.

[Robo Alchemist]

I think it'd be over extending if that was the entire metaphor, but I think there's more here that Tom's trying to show us.
Water - the universal solvent (erosion) is only the second step in the alchemical process. Annie, the main protagonist of the story, has been repeatedly compared to fire, the first step in the alchemical process. Being the main character, her open mindedness for new ideas and new creations (even if she may not get it at first), and just the simple fact that her hair is red all attribute to this comparison.
Annie's personality is mostly on the Phlegmatic side, but with a large portion in the Sanguine side as well. She's usually peaceful, but when the need arises she's known to orchestrate and lead very tricky plans. This shows her ability to be a starter flame in whatever mechanism or process the group she's in resembles.
But even though she has this representation, she's not immune to the changes caused by others. For Annie, Kat would be the one to resemble water the most - the cleansing/solving and [dis]solving factor.
here's one configuration of symbolism of the characters (based off of the alchemical process)

Annie- Fire (the correct sense)........Red Fairy (the incorrect sense)
Kat- Water (correct).........Blue Fairy (incorrect)
Marcia Sutton- Earth (correct).........Ysingrin (incorrect)
Dr. Disaster- Air (correct)..........Robot (incorrect)
Gamma- Death (correct)..........Zimmy (incorrect)
Mort- Separation (correct)...........Eglamore (incorrect)
Anja Donlan- Conjunction (correct)...........Jack (incorrect)
Coyote- Circulation (correct [when he's being good; otherwise incorrect])

again, only my thoughts. if there be any problem don't blame me, blame my Self.

[edisdead]

I like your style, Alchemist

I believe it's likely we are reading too much into the erosion metaphor in light of this recent discussion. Based off todd's post, I realized that erosion doesn't change the Earth (except in some cases with iron oxidation and acid rain, but that's beside the point), but rather, it shapes the Earth. This doesn't mean Annie represents Earth, it only establishes erosion as a broader metaphor for how Kat influences Annie's character.

just some thoughts

[Mylian]

Annie and Kat aren't the only ones paneled during the teacher's description of erosion. William and Janet are prominent in the next panel.

John's there too, and I wonder why he looks more Freaked The Heck Out than bored by the lecture.

[Robo Alchemist]

Turns out, John is really hydrophobic...and a terraphobic.....and possibly afraid of teachers' lectures in general.

[tyler]

John's just realized that this isn't one of those dreams where you forgot to wear pants to school, and that there's no waking up from the embarrassment this time.