The Garden of Forking Paths
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| + | "I remembered too [[Tale of the Two kings and the Wazir's Daughters|that night]] which is at the middle of the [[One Thousand and One Nights|Thousand and One Nights]] when [[Scheherazade]] (through a magical oversight of the copyist) begins to relate word for word the story of the Thousand and One Nights, establishing the risk of coming once again to the night when she must repeat it, and thus on to [[infinity]]…" --"[[The Garden of Forking Paths]]" (1941) Jorge Luis Borges | ||
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| - | '''"The Garden of Forking Paths"''' ([[Spanish language|Spanish]]: ''"El Jardín de senderos que se bifurcan''") is a [[short story]] by [[Argentina|Argentine]] writer and poet [[Jorge Luis Borges]]. | + | '''"The Garden of Forking Paths"''' (1941, [[Spanish language|Spanish]]: ''"El Jardín de senderos que se bifurcan''") is a [[short story]] by [[Argentina|Argentine]] writer and poet [[Jorge Luis Borges]]. |
| - | It was first published as the title story in the collection ''El Jardín de senderos que se bifurcan'' (''The Garden of Forking Paths'') in [[1941]]; that collection was republished in its entirety in the 1944 collection ''[[Ficciones]]'' ("Fictions"). For a list of the contents of ''El Jardín de senderos que se bifurcan'', see ''[[Ficciones]]''. | + | It was first published as the title story in the collection ''El Jardín de senderos que se bifurcan'' (''The Garden of Forking Paths'') in [[1941]]; that collection was republished in its entirety in the 1944 collection ''[[Ficciones]]'' ("Fictions"). |
| - | == Synopsis == | + | ==Plot summary== |
| + | The story takes the form of a signed statement by a [[Chinese people|Chinese]] professor of English named Doctor Yu Tsun who is living in the [[United Kingdom]] during [[World War I]]. Tsun is a [[spy]] for the [[German Empire]] who has realized that an [[MI5]] agent called Captain Richard Madden is pursuing him, has entered the apartment of his handler Viktor Runeberg, and either captured or [[kill]]ed him. Doctor Tsun is certain that his own arrest is next. He has just discovered the location of a new British artillery park and wishes to convey that knowledge to his German handlers before he is captured. He at last hits upon a desperate plan in order to achieve this. | ||
| - | The story takes the form of a signed statement by an English professor named Dr. Yu Tsun who is living in the [[United Kingdom]] during [[World War I]]. Tsun is a double agent, however, a spy for the Germans, as he discloses in the first paragraph of his statement. As the story begins, Tsun realizes that the British officer pursuing him, Captain Richard Madden, is in the apartment of his fellow spy Viktor Runeberg and has presumably either captured or killed him. Tsun surmises that his own arrest is next. He has discovered the location of a new British artillery park and wishes to convey that knowledge to his German masters before he is captured, and hits upon a desperate plan in order to achieve this. | + | Doctor Tsun explains that his spying has never been for the sake of Imperial Germany, which he considers "a barbarous country". Rather, he says, he did it because he wanted to prove to his [[racist]] masters that an [[Asia]]n is intelligent enough to obtain the information needed to save their soldiers' lives. Tsun suspects that Captain Madden, an [[Irish people|Irishman]] in the employ of the [[British Empire]], might be similarly motivated. |
| - | In passing, Tsun states that his spying was not for the sake of Germany, which he considers "a barbaric nation." Rather, he says, he did it because he wanted to prove to his German commander that an Asian man was intelligent enough to obtain for them the information they needed. | + | Taking his few possessions, Tsun boards a train to the village of [[Ashgrove]]. Narrowly avoiding the pursuing Captain Madden at the train station, he goes to the house of Doctor Stephen Albert, an eminent [[Sinologist]]. As he walks up the road to Doctor Albert's house, Tsun reflects on his great ancestor, Ts'ui Pên, a learned and famous man who renounced his job as governor of [[Yunnan]] in order to undertake two tasks: to write a vast and intricate novel, and to construct an equally vast and intricate [[labyrinth]], one "in which all men would lose their way". Ts'ui Pên was murdered before completing his novel, however, and what he did write was a "contradictory jumble of irresolute drafts" that made no sense to subsequent readers; nor was the labyrinth ever found. |
| - | Taking his few possessions, Tsun boards a train to the village of Ashgrove, narrowly avoiding the pursuing Capt. Madden at the train station, and goes to the house of Dr. Stephen Albert. As he walks up the road to Albert's house, Tsun reflects on his great ancestor, Ts'ui Pen. As he explains, Ts'ui Pen, a learned and famous man, renounced his job as governor of a province in order to undertake two tasks: to write a vast and intricate novel, and to construct an equally vast and intricate [[labyrinth]], one "in which all men would lose their way." Ts'ui Pen was murdered before completing his novel, however, and what he did write was a "contradictory jumble of irresolute drafts" that made no sense to subsequent reviewers; nor was the labyrinth ever found. Tsun describes his own experience of reading the unfinished novel: in the third chapter the hero arrives at the house of Dr. Albert, who himself has evidently been pondering the same topic. Albert explains excitedly that at one stroke he has solved both mysteries – the chaotic and jumbled nature of Ts'ui Pen's unfinished book, and the mystery of his lost labyrinth. Albert's solution is that they are one and the same: the book ''is'' the labyrinth. | + | Doctor Tsun arrives at the house of Doctor Albert, who is deeply excited to have met a descendant of Ts'ui Pên. Doctor Albert reveals that he has himself been engaged in a longtime study of Ts'ui Pên's novel. Albert explains excitedly that at one stroke he has solved both mysteries—the chaotic and jumbled nature of Ts'ui Pên's unfinished book and the mystery of his lost labyrinth. Albert's solution is that they are one and the same: the book ''is'' the labyrinth. |
| - | Basing his work on the strange legend that Ts'ui Pen had intended to construct an infinite labyrinth, as well as a cryptic letter from Ts'ui Pen himself stating "I leave to several futures (not to all) my garden of forking paths", Albert realized that the "garden of forking paths" was the novel, and the forking took place in time, not in space. As compared to most fictions, where the character chooses one alternative at each decision point and thereby eliminates all the others, Ts'ui Pen's novel attempted to describe a world where all possible outcomes of an event occur simultaneously, each one itself leading to further proliferations of possibilities. (This idea is remarkably similar to the [[many-worlds interpretation]] of [[quantum mechanics]], which was not proposed until over a decade after the writing of this story.) Albert further explains that these constantly diverging paths do sometimes converge again, though as the result of a different chain of causes; for example, he says, in one possible past Dr. Tsun has come to his house as an enemy, in another as a friend. | + | Basing his work on the strange legend that Ts'ui Pên had intended to construct an infinite labyrinth, as well as a [[cryptic]] letter from Ts'ui Pên himself stating, "I leave to several futures (not to all) my garden of forking paths", Doctor Albert realized that the "garden of forking paths" was the novel, and that the forking took place in time, not in space. As compared to most [[fiction]]s, where the character chooses one alternative at each decision point and thereby eliminates all the others, Ts'ui Pên's novel attempted to describe a world where all possible outcomes of an event occur [[simultaneous]]ly, each one itself leading to further [[proliferation]]s of [[possibilities]]. Albert further explains that these constantly [[diverging]] paths do sometimes [[converge]] again, though as the result of a different [[chain of causes]]; for example, he says, in one possible [[timeline]] Doctor Tsun has come to his house as an enemy, in another as a friend. |
| - | Though trembling with gratitude at Albert's revelation and in awe of his ancestor's literary genius, Tsun glances up the path to see Capt. Madden approaching the house. He asks Albert to see Ts'ui Pen's letter again; Albert turns to retrieve it, and Tsun shoots him in the back, killing him instantly. | + | Though trembling with gratitude at Albert's revelation and in awe of his ancestor's literary genius, Tsun glances up the path to see Captain Madden approaching the house. He asks Albert to see Ts'ui Pên's letter again. As Albert turns to retrieve it, Tsun draws a [[revolver]], and declares his [[friendship]] before [[murder]]ing him [[in cold blood]]. |
| - | Although Tsun is arrested and sentenced to death, he claims to have "most abhorrently triumphed," as he has successfully communicated to the Germans the name of the city they were to attack, and indeed that city is bombed as Tsun goes on trial. The name of that city was Albert, and Tsun realized that the only way to convey that information was to kill a person of that name, so that the news of the murder would appear in British newspapers associated with his name. | + | Doctor Tsun is arrested, convicted of murder, and sentenced to death by [[hanging]]. However, he has "most abhorrently triumphed", as he has revealed to [[Berlin]] the location of the artillery park. Indeed, the park is bombed as Tsun goes on trial. The location of the artillery park was in [[Albert, Somme|Albert]]. Doctor Tsun had realized that the only way to convey that information was to murder a person of that name, so that the news of the murder would appear in British newspapers connected with his name. |
| == See also == | == See also == | ||
| - | + | *[[Fork]] | |
| - | *[[Gilles Deleuze]]'s use of this story to illustrate the [[Leibniz]]ian concept of several [[possible worlds|in-compossible worlds]] simultaneously existing | + | *[[Garden]] |
| + | *[[Namesakes]] | ||
| + | *[[Path]] | ||
| + | * [[Gilles Deleuze]]'s use of this story to illustrate the [[Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz|Leibniz]]ian concept of several [[Possible world|impossible worlds]] simultaneously existing and the [[problem of future contingents]]. | ||
| * [[Paradox of the futures contingents]] | * [[Paradox of the futures contingents]] | ||
| + | * ''[[Coherence (film)|Coherence]]'', a 2013 film about people who must deal with reality-bending events following a comet sighting. | ||
| + | * [[Many-minds interpretation]] | ||
| + | * [[Many-worlds interpretation]] | ||
| + | * [[Multiverse]] | ||
| {{GFDL}} | {{GFDL}} | ||
| + | [[Category:WLL]] | ||
Current revision
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"I remembered too that night which is at the middle of the Thousand and One Nights when Scheherazade (through a magical oversight of the copyist) begins to relate word for word the story of the Thousand and One Nights, establishing the risk of coming once again to the night when she must repeat it, and thus on to infinity…" --"The Garden of Forking Paths" (1941) Jorge Luis Borges |
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"The Garden of Forking Paths" (1941, Spanish: "El Jardín de senderos que se bifurcan") is a short story by Argentine writer and poet Jorge Luis Borges.
It was first published as the title story in the collection El Jardín de senderos que se bifurcan (The Garden of Forking Paths) in 1941; that collection was republished in its entirety in the 1944 collection Ficciones ("Fictions").
Plot summary
The story takes the form of a signed statement by a Chinese professor of English named Doctor Yu Tsun who is living in the United Kingdom during World War I. Tsun is a spy for the German Empire who has realized that an MI5 agent called Captain Richard Madden is pursuing him, has entered the apartment of his handler Viktor Runeberg, and either captured or killed him. Doctor Tsun is certain that his own arrest is next. He has just discovered the location of a new British artillery park and wishes to convey that knowledge to his German handlers before he is captured. He at last hits upon a desperate plan in order to achieve this.
Doctor Tsun explains that his spying has never been for the sake of Imperial Germany, which he considers "a barbarous country". Rather, he says, he did it because he wanted to prove to his racist masters that an Asian is intelligent enough to obtain the information needed to save their soldiers' lives. Tsun suspects that Captain Madden, an Irishman in the employ of the British Empire, might be similarly motivated.
Taking his few possessions, Tsun boards a train to the village of Ashgrove. Narrowly avoiding the pursuing Captain Madden at the train station, he goes to the house of Doctor Stephen Albert, an eminent Sinologist. As he walks up the road to Doctor Albert's house, Tsun reflects on his great ancestor, Ts'ui Pên, a learned and famous man who renounced his job as governor of Yunnan in order to undertake two tasks: to write a vast and intricate novel, and to construct an equally vast and intricate labyrinth, one "in which all men would lose their way". Ts'ui Pên was murdered before completing his novel, however, and what he did write was a "contradictory jumble of irresolute drafts" that made no sense to subsequent readers; nor was the labyrinth ever found.
Doctor Tsun arrives at the house of Doctor Albert, who is deeply excited to have met a descendant of Ts'ui Pên. Doctor Albert reveals that he has himself been engaged in a longtime study of Ts'ui Pên's novel. Albert explains excitedly that at one stroke he has solved both mysteries—the chaotic and jumbled nature of Ts'ui Pên's unfinished book and the mystery of his lost labyrinth. Albert's solution is that they are one and the same: the book is the labyrinth.
Basing his work on the strange legend that Ts'ui Pên had intended to construct an infinite labyrinth, as well as a cryptic letter from Ts'ui Pên himself stating, "I leave to several futures (not to all) my garden of forking paths", Doctor Albert realized that the "garden of forking paths" was the novel, and that the forking took place in time, not in space. As compared to most fictions, where the character chooses one alternative at each decision point and thereby eliminates all the others, Ts'ui Pên's novel attempted to describe a world where all possible outcomes of an event occur simultaneously, each one itself leading to further proliferations of possibilities. Albert further explains that these constantly diverging paths do sometimes converge again, though as the result of a different chain of causes; for example, he says, in one possible timeline Doctor Tsun has come to his house as an enemy, in another as a friend.
Though trembling with gratitude at Albert's revelation and in awe of his ancestor's literary genius, Tsun glances up the path to see Captain Madden approaching the house. He asks Albert to see Ts'ui Pên's letter again. As Albert turns to retrieve it, Tsun draws a revolver, and declares his friendship before murdering him in cold blood.
Doctor Tsun is arrested, convicted of murder, and sentenced to death by hanging. However, he has "most abhorrently triumphed", as he has revealed to Berlin the location of the artillery park. Indeed, the park is bombed as Tsun goes on trial. The location of the artillery park was in Albert. Doctor Tsun had realized that the only way to convey that information was to murder a person of that name, so that the news of the murder would appear in British newspapers connected with his name.
See also
- Fork
- Garden
- Namesakes
- Path
- Gilles Deleuze's use of this story to illustrate the Leibnizian concept of several impossible worlds simultaneously existing and the problem of future contingents.
- Paradox of the futures contingents
- Coherence, a 2013 film about people who must deal with reality-bending events following a comet sighting.
- Many-minds interpretation
- Many-worlds interpretation
- Multiverse
