"The Piper's Son"

It's cold outside. Very cold. The kind that makes you all stiff and slow -- so bear with me if my words follow suit.

Today we're finally getting into the real stuff. I'll be starting in the Oxford anthology (everyone turn your books to page 127...) with a story called "The Piper's Son" by Lewis Padgett.

I really don't know quite how I'm going to be formatting these discussions -- with time I'm sure I'll get better at it, but to being with I may be relying a little much on discussion of plot and character. So if you're averse to spoilers, I'm letting you know now!

This story was written in 1945 as a collaboration between Henry Kuttner and C.L. Moore, husband and wife who created the pseudonym by combining the maiden names of their mothers. The list of their works, combined efforts and individually written pieces, is impressively long. Their first story was published in 1934 (can you imagine?), and they continued writing into the early '80s. Science fiction is impressive on its own, but when you consider that much of the truly amazing works were written almost eighty years ago, it seems almost crazy. And perhaps that's how the ideas of many science fiction writers have appeared over the years!

"The Piper's Son" is a story about psychics, or as they are called within the realm of the crafted society, 'Baldies.' They are called this for the obvious physical reason that they have no hair at all -- this is part of the mutation that makes them psychic. The story as to how Baldies came into being is only hinted at, but masterfully so, describing an event called 'the Blowup' which was some sort of radioactive catastrophe. Those who weren't killed in the disaster or changed into monsters, and those who lived in and around the area after it, eventually produced a mutated group of human beings with the abilities to read others' minds.

But "The Piper's Son" is less about the reason why the Baldies came into existence and more about how they cope in a society prone to distrust them. The world is a dangerous place for super-humans -- that much is made clear. But, to the credit of the rest of humanity, it is also implied that the fear of Baldies is the cause of encounters with individuals who attempt to take their powers to an extreme, such as the domination of the 'normal' beings.

We follow the character Ed Burkhalter, a Baldie living his life peacefully in Modoc Publishing Town. Most of the story resides in his mind as he considers the life he has and his role as a freak. His own wisdom and frank speech is very interesting -- a different angle than the frequently used tragic monster story. He knows his powers, and he knows how to use them properly in the context of an uneasy society. Ed describes it this way: "A man with abnormal muscle development wouldn't go around knocking people down. Not unless he wanted to be mobbed. Baldies were always sneakingly conscious of a hidden peril, lynch law. And wise Baldies didn't even imply that they had an...extra sense." It is also made very clear through the course of the story that even humans without the extra sense can tell when their minds are being listened in on. Hence the danger of attack, for if they didn't know when they were being spied on, then the Baldies would have the undeniable advantage.

The society itself is also very interesting -- an odd mix that is hard to place and makes me wonder about the events that led to its creation. Throughout the story there are references to hidden fears and terrible events (the 'dusting off' of whole cities). The setting is America, but when? They have impressive technology, and yet continue to carry daggers at their belts and issue challenges for duels. Throughout the story are references to something called a 'Green Man' which even now I'm not entirely sure what it is. There are hints, and this is where we come to the problem of the story.

And it is a most sinister one at that. Ed has a son, Al, who at the tender age of eight years old is struggling through a period where he will be determined as either a healthy Baldie, or a paranoidal one (Baldies that don't wear wigs, invade minds without permission, and deep down believe in the superiority of their race). The boy spends most of his time in the story living in a shared fantasy with the other Baldie children of the community, in which they follow the adventures of what is referred to as a 'Green Man.' Though there are fantastic elements in the imagination story, such as gnomes, the Green Man in this version does not appear to be related to the fae creature, a man of the wood represented mostly in architecture around England. Despite the obvious fantasy feel to the dream, the 'bad guys' still wield death rays and other such objects that relate the times.

But what does this fantasy tale really mean? When I first read the story, I didn't understand until the very end; but now that I know the story and characters, reading back I can see obviously what is being said:

"...the Green Man, a figure of marvellous muscular development, handsome as a god, and hairless from head to foot, glistening pale green...And the hairy gnomes watched malignantly, jealously, from their crannies in the glass crags."

Ahah! The Green Man is the representation of a Baldie, a hero, and his enemies the disgusting and contemptible gnomes are humanity as they lie weak in comparison. This is obviously not a normal, childish daydream. In fact, the adults are already suspicious and concerned, for their children show signs of a most alarming sort: not getting along with their peers in school, isolation, unfavorable thoughts of their own parents, taking off their wigs...etc. It turns out, eventually, that the Green Man story is a conditioning procedure, thrown out towards the vulnerable minds by one of the paranoidal, angry Baldies of the community. And he is dealt with.

Survival is important to all creatures, and it will push us to become things we do not recognize in ourselves. Ed Burkhalter, a man who has never dueled in his life, who wishes to have nothing to do with it for the risk it causes to himself, turns into a colder, more frightening thing in the protection of his family:

"Burkhalter took out his dagger. Other slivers of steel glittered for a little while--

And were quenched."

There is no doubt that, though Ed has a good attitude about his lot in life, there is a little sadness, a small amount of bitterness that comes from being different. No one likes to be different -- the ideal of being unique is a false one, a trick to get people to fit in. Ever heard the phrase "You're unique, just like everyone else?" Well, to an extent it is true. Even in our differences, we can be the same. And there is a terrible need to belong somewhere. Which leads me to my favorite quote in the whole book.

"I wish to God I wasn't different. We didn't ask to be telepaths. Maybe its all very wonderful in the long run, but I'm one person, and I've got my own microcosm. People who deal in long-term sociology are apt to forget that. They can figure out the answers, but it's every individual man -- or Baldy -- who's got to fight his own personal battle while he's alive. And it isn't as clearcut as a battle. It's worse: it's the necessity of watching yourself every second, of fitting yourself into a world that doesn't want you."

Beautiful -- here's a little hint of that tragic monster thread. But it had to come up some time, I suppose. However, this could, in a way, apply to other categories of people. In a way, it's a human condition as well.

Overall, "The Piper's Son" is a fascinating read, very pleasant and easy to get through. You'll like it!

*Whew!* Well, that's all I've got for now. I'm thinking that I'll be starting out with a story review at least once a week, most likely on Fridays. Hopefully between those I can come on here and just share a few thoughts or something I found interesting in the course of the week. We'll just have to see!

So long, and don't forget the Grumbies!
L