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Riddley Walker

 Riddley Walker
type
TVTItem
 Riddley Walker
label
Riddley Walker
 Riddley Walker
page
RiddleyWalker
 Riddley Walker
comment
A novel by Russell Hoban, set two (or perhaps three) millennia After the End.Like A Canticle for Leibowitz, it deals with quasi-religious themes and ancient nuclear weapons. Unlike Canticle, it's about as pellucid as a brick, being written in what the author thinks English may evolve into 2000+ years down the road; understanding some of the passages can give even die-hard Finnegans Wake fans a run for their money. It's drenched with symbolism and double (or even triple) meaning, and is a favorite of those literature professors who have to teach a course in Science Fiction literature.It was nominated for a Nebula Award in 1981.
 Riddley Walker
fetched
2023-08-21T01:15:10Z
 Riddley Walker
parsed
2023-08-21T01:15:10Z
 Riddley Walker
processingComment
Dropped link to BirthdayBeginning: Not a Feature - UNKNOWN
 Riddley Walker
processingComment
Dropped link to BookOfJob: Not a Feature - ITEM
 Riddley Walker
processingUnknown
Birthday Beginning
 Riddley Walker
isPartOf
DBTropes
 Riddley Walker / int_17a6a31b
type
The Beforetimes
 Riddley Walker / int_17a6a31b
comment
The Beforetimes: Played with. Since they were well over two thousand years ago and civilisation is roughly at an Iron Age level, Riddley's people don't understand pre-Bad Time technology and treat it as half-allegory, half-alchemy.
 Riddley Walker / int_17a6a31b
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1.0
 Riddley Walker / int_17a6a31b
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Riddley Walker / int_17a6a31b
 Riddley Walker / int_1865f13a
type
Apocalypse Anarchy
 Riddley Walker / int_1865f13a
comment
Apocalypse Anarchy: Downplayed—some remnants of government do exists as the Mincery (Ministry); the Pry Mincer (Prime Minister) considers himself the head of state, and is supported by the Wes Mincer (Westminster); and the Mincery is shown to be aggressively supporting farmers at the expense of hunter-gatherers.
 Riddley Walker / int_1865f13a
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Riddley Walker / int_1865f13a
 Riddley Walker / int_2dbc1855
type
Ghost City
 Riddley Walker / int_2dbc1855
comment
Ghost City: The dead towns, especially Cambry.
 Riddley Walker / int_2dbc1855
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1.0
 Riddley Walker / int_2dbc1855
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Riddley Walker / int_2dbc1855
 Riddley Walker / int_30763ed8
type
Eternal English
 Riddley Walker / int_30763ed8
comment
Eternal English: Emphatically averted in favour of Language Drift.
 Riddley Walker / int_30763ed8
featureApplicability
-1.0
 Riddley Walker / int_30763ed8
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1.0
 Riddley Walker
hasFeature
Riddley Walker / int_30763ed8
 Riddley Walker / int_31d6fd00
type
Legend Fades to Myth
 Riddley Walker / int_31d6fd00
comment
The 'Eusa Show', which tells the myth of how modern society was destroyed, heavily borrows upon Punch and Judy in its execution, for example the call and response between performer and audience; the book's plot is kicked into motion when Riddley finds an ancient Punch puppet; and the book ends with Riddley and company taking their new/old Punch and "Pooty" (Judy) show on the road.
 Riddley Walker / int_31d6fd00
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1.0
 Riddley Walker / int_31d6fd00
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Riddley Walker / int_31d6fd00
 Riddley Walker / int_334e48a1
type
After the End
 Riddley Walker / int_334e48a1
comment
After the End: It's a bit unclear exactly what happened, since Riddley's society doesn't understand the technology and different myths give slightly conflicting stories, but nuclear energy was certainly involved.
 Riddley Walker / int_334e48a1
featureApplicability
1.0
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Riddley Walker / int_334e48a1
 Riddley Walker / int_352a1d70
type
All First-Person Narrators Write Like Novelists
 Riddley Walker / int_352a1d70
comment
All First-Person Narrators Write Like Novelists: Mostly, though—unusually for this trope—nearly no effort is made to acquaint the reader with things Riddley takes for granted. Readers can see, for instance, that Riddley never writes out numbers even when they're part of a word ("once" is always rendered "1ce"); we can infer, given that numbers and their power figure heavily in the story of humanity's downfall, that this is probably some kind of taboo; but, since Riddley has no reason to question or explain it, we never find out why.
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Riddley Walker / int_352a1d70
 Riddley Walker / int_3bce9346
type
Ragnarök Proofing
 Riddley Walker / int_3bce9346
comment
Ragnarök Proofing: Plenty of old tech is able to be scavenged and re-forged, and at one point in the novel Riddley encounters a gigantic machine that is apparently untouched.
 Riddley Walker / int_3bce9346
featureApplicability
1.0
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Riddley Walker / int_3bce9346
 Riddley Walker / int_48d9e12d
type
Funetik Aksent
 Riddley Walker / int_48d9e12d
comment
Funetik Aksent: The form of English used in the book is actually based upon phonetic interpretations of the Kentish accent.
 Riddley Walker / int_48d9e12d
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1.0
 Riddley Walker / int_48d9e12d
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Riddley Walker / int_48d9e12d
 Riddley Walker / int_553cbdc2
type
Eyeless Face
 Riddley Walker / int_553cbdc2
comment
Eyeless Face: Lissener. (He's a mutant.)
 Riddley Walker / int_553cbdc2
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1.0
 Riddley Walker / int_553cbdc2
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Riddley Walker / int_553cbdc2
 Riddley Walker / int_5c36f1df
type
Future Primitive
 Riddley Walker / int_5c36f1df
comment
Future Primitive: Riddley's people.
 Riddley Walker / int_5c36f1df
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 Riddley Walker / int_5c36f1df
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 Riddley Walker
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Riddley Walker / int_5c36f1df
 Riddley Walker / int_6114a875
type
Lost Technology
 Riddley Walker / int_6114a875
comment
Lost Technology: All of it, but the rediscovery of gunpowder is what drives the main plot.
 Riddley Walker / int_6114a875
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1.0
 Riddley Walker / int_6114a875
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Riddley Walker / int_6114a875
 Riddley Walker / int_6b898eb8
type
Post-Apocalyptic Dog
 Riddley Walker / int_6b898eb8
comment
Post-Apocalyptic Dog: Dogs have become humanity's enemies since the Bad Time. Sometimes a dog or dog pack will take a liking to someone, but this state of being "dog frendy" is not considered an endorsement. Riddley is therefore understandably unsettled when it happens to him.
 Riddley Walker / int_6b898eb8
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Riddley Walker / int_6b898eb8
 Riddley Walker / int_74e9a5b1
type
Scavenger World
 Riddley Walker / int_74e9a5b1
comment
Scavenger World: "Inland" (England) is at about an Iron Age level of civilisation, but people seem to scavenge their iron rather than smelt it from ore. They do have the key Iron Age technology of charcoal, though.
 Riddley Walker / int_74e9a5b1
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 Riddley Walker / int_74e9a5b1
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Riddley Walker / int_74e9a5b1
 Riddley Walker / int_8f37b
type
Medieval Stasis
 Riddley Walker / int_8f37b
comment
Medieval Stasis: Even though 2000 years have passed since the apocalypse, England remains stuck at an Iron Age level.
 Riddley Walker / int_8f37b
featureApplicability
1.0
 Riddley Walker / int_8f37b
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1.0
 Riddley Walker
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Riddley Walker / int_8f37b
 Riddley Walker / int_91b31f6b
type
Please Select New City Name
 Riddley Walker / int_91b31f6b
comment
Please Select New City Name: All of future Kent, as recorded in the children's rhyme "Fools Circel 9wys". "Canterbury" has become "Cambry"; "Faversham", "Father's Ham"; "Dover", "Do It Over"; and so forth. Interestingly, the roads seem to have kept their names.
 Riddley Walker / int_91b31f6b
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1.0
 Riddley Walker / int_91b31f6b
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1.0
 Riddley Walker
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Riddley Walker / int_91b31f6b
 Riddley Walker / int_91e894b4
type
Apocalypse How
 Riddley Walker / int_91e894b4
comment
Apocalypse How: Class 2. Human society has been knocked back to way before pre-Industrial Age levels. While this book takes place in England, it's implied that the apocalypse in the "Eusa Story" affected civilization worldwide.
 Riddley Walker / int_91e894b4
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Riddley Walker / int_91e894b4
 Riddley Walker / int_980f7fac
type
Hit So Hard, the Calendar Felt It
 Riddley Walker / int_980f7fac
comment
Hit So Hard, the Calendar Felt It: Dates are reckoned in years O.C., which means "Our Count." (It's the 24th century O.C.)
 Riddley Walker / int_980f7fac
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1.0
 Riddley Walker / int_980f7fac
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 Riddley Walker
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Riddley Walker / int_980f7fac
 Riddley Walker / int_a122bf2f
type
Blind Seer
 Riddley Walker / int_a122bf2f
comment
Blind Seer: Lissener
 Riddley Walker / int_a122bf2f
featureApplicability
1.0
 Riddley Walker / int_a122bf2f
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 Riddley Walker
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Riddley Walker / int_a122bf2f
 Riddley Walker / int_ac995846
type
NuSpelling
 Riddley Walker / int_ac995846
comment
Nu Spelling: The entire book.
 Riddley Walker / int_ac995846
featureApplicability
1.0
 Riddley Walker / int_ac995846
featureConfidence
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 Riddley Walker
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Riddley Walker / int_ac995846
 Riddley Walker / int_b1e8a3b3
type
Coming of Age Story
 Riddley Walker / int_b1e8a3b3
comment
Coming of Age Story: The book starts with Riddley's twelfth name day, which is the age of majority in his society.
 Riddley Walker / int_b1e8a3b3
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1.0
 Riddley Walker / int_b1e8a3b3
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 Riddley Walker
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Riddley Walker / int_b1e8a3b3
 Riddley Walker / int_b9baed0a
type
Lost Common Knowledge
 Riddley Walker / int_b9baed0a
comment
Lost Common Knowledge: Everywhere, but especially the lost technology of gunpowder.
 Riddley Walker / int_b9baed0a
featureApplicability
1.0
 Riddley Walker / int_b9baed0a
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 Riddley Walker
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Riddley Walker / int_b9baed0a
 Riddley Walker / int_be8416ea
type
Shrouded in Myth
 Riddley Walker / int_be8416ea
comment
Shrouded in Myth: The pre-apocalypse world.
 Riddley Walker / int_be8416ea
featureApplicability
1.0
 Riddley Walker / int_be8416ea
featureConfidence
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 Riddley Walker
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Riddley Walker / int_be8416ea
 Riddley Walker / int_c75df49a
type
Shout-Out
 Riddley Walker / int_c75df49a
comment
Shout-Out: The Book of Job is hugely important to this novel, but isn't mentioned by name. The 'Eusa Show', which tells the myth of how modern society was destroyed, heavily borrows upon Punch and Judy in its execution, for example the call and response between performer and audience; the book's plot is kicked into motion when Riddley finds an ancient Punch puppet; and the book ends with Riddley and company taking their new/old Punch and "Pooty" (Judy) show on the road.
 Riddley Walker / int_c75df49a
featureApplicability
1.0
 Riddley Walker / int_c75df49a
featureConfidence
1.0
 Riddley Walker
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Riddley Walker / int_c75df49a
 Riddley Walker / int_d5c229d1
type
Fictional Age of Majority
 Riddley Walker / int_d5c229d1
comment
Fictional Age of Majority: The age of majority in the eponymous character's society is 12 and the story begins on his 12th birthday.
 Riddley Walker / int_d5c229d1
featureApplicability
1.0
 Riddley Walker / int_d5c229d1
featureConfidence
1.0
 Riddley Walker
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Riddley Walker / int_d5c229d1
 Riddley Walker / int_d8f3dc8
type
Eternal Recurrence
 Riddley Walker / int_d8f3dc8
comment
Eternal Recurrence: A major theme, as humanity is in its second Iron Age and poised for its second discovery of gunpowder.
 Riddley Walker / int_d8f3dc8
featureApplicability
1.0
 Riddley Walker / int_d8f3dc8
featureConfidence
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 Riddley Walker
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Riddley Walker / int_d8f3dc8
 Riddley Walker / int_df237522
type
Hellhound
 Riddley Walker / int_df237522
comment
Hellhound: A mixture of this and Post-Apocalyptic Dog.
 Riddley Walker / int_df237522
featureApplicability
1.0
 Riddley Walker / int_df237522
featureConfidence
1.0
 Riddley Walker
hasFeature
Riddley Walker / int_df237522
 Riddley Walker / int_e0904aa4
type
No Party Like a Donner Party
 Riddley Walker / int_e0904aa4
comment
No Party Like a Donner Party: Situational cannibalism in the immediate post-nuclear era is key to one of Riddley's people's myths, and the Punch and Judy story late in the book has... rather more cannibalism than is common in the present.
 Riddley Walker / int_e0904aa4
featureApplicability
1.0
 Riddley Walker / int_e0904aa4
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 Riddley Walker
hasFeature
Riddley Walker / int_e0904aa4
 Riddley Walker / int_e824190a
type
Grand Theft Prototype
 Riddley Walker / int_e824190a
comment
Grand Theft Prototype: Lissener's solution to the problem of humanity's rediscovery of gunpowder is to steal and dispose of the Salt 4 (sulfur) that's just made its way to Inland. Riddley realizes this won't work.
 Riddley Walker / int_e824190a
featureApplicability
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 Riddley Walker / int_e824190a
featureConfidence
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 Riddley Walker
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Riddley Walker / int_e824190a
 Riddley Walker / int_eb88956c
type
Language Drift
 Riddley Walker / int_eb88956c
comment
Language Drift: A core part of the book, which is very much about communication and how language shapes culture (and vice versa).
 Riddley Walker / int_eb88956c
featureApplicability
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 Riddley Walker / int_eb88956c
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Riddley Walker / int_eb88956c
 Riddley Walker / int_name
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ItemName
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Riddley Walker

The following is a list of statements referring to the current page from other pages.

 Riddley Walker
hasFeature
All First-Person Narrators Write Like Novelists / int_291daa72
 Riddley Walker
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All Hail the Great God Mickey! / int_291daa72
 Riddley Walker
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Birthday Beginning / int_291daa72
 Riddley Walker
hasFeature
Blind Seer / int_291daa72
 Riddley Walker
hasFeature
Fictional Age of Majority / int_291daa72
 Riddley Walker
hasFeature
From Cataclysm to Myth / int_291daa72
 Riddley Walker
hasFeature
Fun with Homophones / int_291daa72
 Riddley Walker
hasFeature
Funetik Aksent / int_291daa72
 Riddley Walker
hasFeature
Future Imperfect / int_291daa72
 Riddley Walker
hasFeature
Future Primitive / int_291daa72
 Riddley Walker
hasFeature
Hellhound / int_291daa72
 Riddley Walker
hasFeature
Hit So Hard, the Calendar Felt It / int_291daa72
 Riddley Walker
hasFeature
Language Drift / int_291daa72
 Riddley Walker
hasFeature
Nu Speling / int_291daa72
 Riddley Walker
hasFeature
Please Select New City Name / int_291daa72
 Riddley Walker
hasFeature
Post-Apocalyptic Dog / int_291daa72
 Riddley Walker
hasFeature
The Beforetimes / int_291daa72
 Riddley Walker
hasFeature
The Hero's Birthday / int_291daa72