How to read the volvelle

Column

The eleven sections in reading order, with dates from the novella. The red bead shows the section being read. Click a section’s title to go to it.

Ring

The years 1894 to 1984, the span of “The Chronology of the Life and Times of Enniscorthy Sweeny.” Golden Century, printed on the ring, is the novella’s term for the period. Click a year’s tick, or press Y for the year of the thread, to list every passage that mentions that year. On a touch screen, tap the ring at that year.

Ground

The disc under the ring is printed with the battle names from “In the Days of Silent Radio” in the novella’s order and spelling. In recorded history they are battles and other actions of the First World War. The print shows at the center, through the windows, and in the margin after the iris opens in section 7.

Windows

The three openings stand for the three Armageddon operas: 1916, 1939, and 1983 to 1984. The first two present the world wars of recorded history, and the third Ultimate Armageddon. The “Chronology of the Life and Times” omits the Armageddon Variant except for Sweeny’s own works, so the operas are the only openings in the ring.

Thread

The red thread shows the date of the document being read. It moves back and forth with the dates of the letters and runs over 1983 more than once, where the novella repeats that year.

Marks

While a section is read, red marks on the ring show the years its passages mention. In section 6 teal circles mark the years in which the “Chronology of the Life and Times” departs from recorded history, such as Harold Standpipe’s election as president in 1900. A circled year’s label and list say what recorded history has.

Cards

The quotation cards reproduce the novella’s text. The cards with red headings, at the start and in the recapitulation, are summaries.

Teaching

Press T, or the easel button under the picture, to stop the film at each card, at the end of each shot, and at each view in the recapitulation. Space goes on.