A River Runs Through It, Pt 4: Contradictions and Unanswered Questions

[suo_gan]

Love her or loathe her, but never say for one minute that River Song is uninteresting. Of all the women surrounding the Doctor, she is the one most qualified by experience and age to be more than a companion, to be his partner, in fact. But that still doesn't mean her character is cut and dry, because maddeningly reminiscent of real life, River

Comments

[subtle1science]

Well, let's start off by acknowledging that I know I'm a lousy LJ "friend," so that might explain my long-delayed response to all of you River entries

[suo_gan]

Oh no! You don't have to comment; I write these for myself mostly as a way to link everything I've remembered for series 6. I know they're crap, lol, but it's my way of not forgetting.

The name thing fascinates me, because it's mysterious, because the Doctor's name is written in the Medusa Constellation if I remember correctly and not for a good reason, because there is something momentous connected with his name, because to know the name of a god is to have power over him, and River knows his name. What's fascinating to me is that she apologizes before she whispers it in his ear, suggesting his name is taboo.

We will never know the Doctor's name and that's the way it should be - I have my own theory like everyone else, but it's one of DW's great mysteries how and why River, of all the Doctor's met in his regenerations, came to know his name. It does put her on an equal basis with his family in Gallifrey.

Just fascinating.

[subtle1science]

I think (don't hold me to it--my memory may be shaky) it's "Las ruinas circulares" by Borges that's the short story about how God's name is written on the pelt of the jaguar, and if the jaguar's pelt is ever translated, the universe ends. Even if I haven't recalled the correct title--the premise is one that fascinates me. It's one of those literary motifs that occurs over and over again, throughout cultures--knowing the name is having power.

In River's case, I don't think it's having power over the Doctor in the obvious sense. There's always this part of the Doctor that's held back--even the Dream Lord references it in "Amy's Choice": no matter how close the Doctor and a companion are, the Doctor withholds. For the character, the ultimate proof of absolute trust and intimacy would be the revelation of the name.

[suo_gan]

I'm familiar with the story, but not the title as is usually the case with me, but it was written by Borges. Arthur C Clarke wrote another version of this motif in The Nine Billion Names of God - after the Tibetan monks had successfully permuted the last name of God, the stars began to blink out