Jan 26, 2025
According to Dworkin ( a law philosopher ), "law" is akin to a chain novel : " each novelist [ judge ] in the chain interprets the chapters he has been given [ the precedent ] in order to write a new chapter, which is then added to what the next novelist received, and so on." ( Law's empire ). Such a metaphor brings to the fore the judge's fundamental roles as an interpreter and narrator of the "law", and I think it sums up pretty well the situation of the White King, Liar, and Archangel.
As they partake in Orion's game, it could be said they're all "authors". On that note, having in mind that fiction is by far a luxury, I find it interesting that the 3 "estates"/ strata of Leiden are represented here, Lumière embodying the Third Estate ( commoners ), Selaphiel the Clergy, and Orion the Nobility. It's as if the world our mc is living in is slowly changing. I already had such a feeling a few chapters prior when the "Garden was awakened" : to make each Fable well known is to spread fiction, and subsequently make it "affordable".
As mentioned earlier, "judge" refers to 2 close aspects: the judge as a critic and the judge as a narrator. Although these aspects share the same root - interpretation -, the former is more subjective than the latter. Therefore, a critical interpretation is based on a player's own principles, while, let's say, an " objective" interpretation encompasses an interest that goes beyond one personal moral: the moral substance of the "Law".
"Law" can be divided into 3 strata, from the more to less abstract: value, principle, and rule. A principle encompasses a value, while a rule encompasses a principle. Sometimes the same principle can incorporate many values and a "rule" many principles. Actually, principle and value are often used interchangeably. In any case, what's interesting here is this idea of a rule being the translation of something fundamental: the moral substance of the law ( a value, a principle ). Concomitantly, a distinction can be made between universal principles, shared by all, and subjective principles, shared by a small portion of individuals. This group could be Leiden's estates I mentioned earlier, users of a magic domain, and so on.
Sometimes although the judge's interpretations all seem to be " relevant" because of their compatibility with a rule, some of them are in contradiction with a principle. If we use the 3 strata, then some interpretations might be compatible with a rule and a principle but not with a value. As a result, the objective interpretation purpose is to come up with an interpretation that will be compatible with the 3, or 2 strata. I think that's well embodied by our players' train of thought in order to come up with the best "solution" possible, a solution that will both serve their own ploy and encompass " the moral substance of the Law".
Of course, what I'm saying here might seem incoherent knowing that Law and Moral are "unknown" in the story, but it's not a problem. On the one hand, Moral is a spectrum. On the other hand, " Law" can be replaced by any other concept such as Fate for example. Then, the 3 strata of Fate could be : Inevitably ( value ), Future ( Principle ) and Threads ( rule ) which can be pulled to a certain extent . And its universal principles could be birth and death, and the more subjective one love or hatred. As for the compatibility constraint, it's a bit different here, for an individual life isn't a chain novel ( reincarnation aside). As a result, the only compatibility needed is with their morals or beliefs. Therefore, concerning Fate, I think that rather than an obligation one must follow, the compatibility constraint is more of a struggle one experiences.
Applied to a chain novel, Fate could be embodied by the story's Plot/ Outline, and the "strata compatibility" by the the coherence constraint each author is subject to. Although our 3 players have different Plots and Morals, the coherence could stem from some common "principles" lying within each of them. Then as long as a majority is created, a particular Plot can be enforced. I think it's well shown by the Selaphiel/ Lumière, Selaphiel/ Orion, and Lumière/ Orion pairing's influence on each story. In any case, I particularly liked to see all the dynamics touched on since the beginning portrayed on a " small scale".
Overall, it can be said that History is a chain novel to an extent. Individuals are just part of a long story. They spawn at a moment and have to continue the narrative "given" by the previous one and potentially deal with the problems it contains. They eventually vanish, leaving behind their "scar" in the narrative, and so forth.
As for Lumière's mother, it's along the same lines as the Schrodinger cat . 2 ideas of her have been stored in a box, a peculiar box: one can only catch sight of its content once, for the box destroys itself when opened, and only one idea amongst the 2 can be observed. This idea is the Truth, the heart's true meaning of something, a piece of information no lie could conceal, and no one could control. Then, once the box is opened, the Truth carves itself into one's mind and becomes a memory.
To someone like Lumière, who has this innate need to be in control, such an enterprise is frightening. On that note, I first found it curious that our mc used the mother/ child bound as an example to depict what the Garden had to mean to each of its members, as such a bound was something he " never" experienced ( regarding what has been told so far ). However, thanks to your insights, I think this could be linked to him trying to hold onto things. Holding onto things is to carry "burdens", but it's also trying to hold together a puzzle made of incompatible, broken pieces. In a way, I feel like his mother has always been a "monster", an amalgamation of his hope, fear, or any ideas Lumière ever has of her. As Emily Dickinson wrote, ' 'Hope' is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul and sings the tune without the words and never stops at all'. Here let's say that such a tune is something that might tempt our mc to open the box, and not open it.
Whether as a monster, a mother or an idea, Lumière's mother ultimately remains a burden: something that's preventing him from fully ascending. Therefore, his only way to pursue his ascension is to let go of "her".
