Truth

As Brutha's character develops, so does the story's treatment of truth. Initially, Brutha's understanding of truth is based on divine scripture and the infallibility of the clergy. Although his brother has a perfect memory, he is also illiterate. This means that Brutha's education was oral, spoon-fed to him by his grandmother, interpreted for him by others rather than self-built by an authentic engagement with scripture. This means that, at the beginning of the story, Brutha's understanding of truth is based on trust, trust in his religious authorities.

Ideologically, Brutha is torn between Vorbis and Om. This is the experience that Brutha refers to as "doubling." On the surface, since Om is also Brutha's god, this appears to be a struggle between religion and faith. In practice, the dissonance is between dogma and reason. Vorbis's concept of "fundamental truth" is based upon the assumed infallibility of his knowledge, and...