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Stephenson:Neal:Quicksilver:Jack Shaftoe

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This is the Quicksilver page for Jack Shaftoe

Note: this entry may contain spoilers.

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Jack mutters his personal 'heroic' narration loudly to himself.

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Though Half-cocked, Jack Knew His Musketry
A Likely Instructor Would Have Been One of The Lads Above
These Are English Civil War Musketeers © Osprey's Military History (fair use)

Community entry: Jack Shaftoe

Jack Shaftoe, aka Half-Cocked Jack, aka The King of the Vagabonds, aka L'Emmerdeur, aka Ali Zaybak, aka Sword of Divine Fire, aka Jack the Coiner, is the son of Mother Shaftoe and an unknown father. Much of Quicksilver concerns his adventures as he grows from being a young mudlark in East London (near the tiny Qwghlmian Community it sheltered) to a global adventurer. Jack thinks he is smart to swap script (not unlike Daniel Waterhouse's pound note from his father Drake that we see earlier) for half of its printed value to a wandering Jew. It is during the seige of Vienna he meets the young Eliza. After they converse, its decided to allow Eliza to handle the cash they hope to make.

When he admits to losing a piece of his manhood in the hopes of curing the French Pox he tells Eliza that he is the father of two sons, Jimmy Shaftoe and Danny Shaftoe with Mary Dolores, who died shortly after their birth (in childbirth). Jack's motivation is to amass a fortune to ease their way in this world of bad smells.

In the German States, they encounter the Doctor; And run into Enoch Root near the House of Hacklheber. The two have other adventures together and apart until Eliza tossed a harpoon at him to express her frustration with him vis a vis the issue of Slavery. Could this be love?

Jack has a more reliable brother called Bob who borrows his name to woo a Taunton Schoolgirl.JackTheMusketeerMW.jpg
Detail: The Smartest of the Musketmen
If I'd draw Jack - he'd be the model

Normally Death Cures the Pox

We last see Jack awaiting madness and death chained to the galleys of a Barbary corsair. ...

Jack as Catalyst

It is highly unlikely that "trouble makers" of this type die in this manner, that is, simply chained to an oar with nothing else happening. The presence of Jack aboard would very likely mean that the life experience of these pirates was about to radically change. The Author shows us Jack's life as a series of challenges which consistently increase in depth and complexity, it really is pretty much a messed up life, yet it is one of incredible magic.

The binding thread is that "things happen" around Jack, that he recognizes opportunities and acts upon them immediately. There are numerous examples of this throughout the book, not the least of which is his induction into the Austrian service, the presentation of Turk to him, or the meeting, and "rescue" of Eliza.

All of these are chance encounters. But I would strongly disagree with those who would say that Jack's Adventures merely served to introduce Eliza to the story, and that they served no other purpose beyond their entertainment value. I want to argue that Jack's life is included as a lesson for us all, but I do not really know why they are included. It's not a life that most can learn from, as it is derived from WHAT Jack is, more than any life choices he has made. Nature over Nurture.

To show that this is not merely a accident, or a character growing on its own, but rather a strong, and central, though perhaps hidden or secondary theme of the Authors we see the folllowing passage in "Cryptonomicon";

"Am I going to get to meet this character?" Randy asks, looking at the photograph.

Amy bites her lip and squints at the horizon. "Ninety percent of the time his prescence is a sign that something really wierd is going on." She holds the hatch for him, pointing out the high step.

"And the other ten percent?"

"He's bored, or on the outs with his girlfriend."

I've only just begun "Cryptonomicon", and so do not know how strongly this thread is explored there, but it does appear to have been included.

Also, the Main Figure in "The Diamond Age" is of the same character, or type, as Jack. We see her rise from a group that some might refer to as "Plate-Lickers", see her face extraordinary challenges, see her as somewhat of a catalyst, though, in some ways, the character of Jack is far more refined in it's telling, or at least clearer. Perhaps because he is more of a backdrop, a conduit, or an interlude, or, because the Author has, himself, experienced more, both in life and in his craft -- that of the written word.

Second Thoughts

Shit happens, challenges arise, we deal with what follows as best as we are able. But, how do we get to lead a life like this? This is NOT ordinary, despite how ordinary it Indeed is, maybe it is just not normal, for most of us who have our heads buried up our nether regions most of our lives.

In Jack's life, We don't simply see difficult situations occurring, we see IMPOSSIBLE situations occuring, entire chains of events that stretch credulity.

What's worse is that Jack recognizes and grasps each opportunity that arises, with precise timing, incredible cunning, yet an open heart, no trace of self - pity nor self - importance. He seems to be exactly what you see, a simple person in a relatively simple life, and yet,

So totaly Bizarre

It would seem Jack walks a line between two paths. One being that of the Saint -- where the World glistens in some beautiful, Divine light, air drawn in in rareified breaths, and the other being the path of the Beast -- walking as a Wolf in human form, every step a stalk, time, within, standing still, emotions miles away, and yet in touch, ever present. Every sound crisp, to dwell within oneself and yet be not apart from all that is, to be IN the moment, Every moment.

None of this would work if Jack was a Twit, or a fool, if he hid from life behind a shield of false humor, if he took nothing seriously, or Everything to seriously, with himself as center, and, if he cared what others thought, or if he lived either the life of a Doubter, or the life of a Fanatic.

It would seem that THIS is the life that surrounds us. Incredible things being pulled out of our asses. Events always waiting to unfold at the exact precise times they need to. Challenges growing and growing. Each one greater than the last, each one stresses us to our very limits.

It's no wonder we bury ourselves in our works, or, in feeding our Cats, computer games, religion, televeision or books. That drugs, sex, and a dynamic social life can make ALL of this go away, such a blessing, at times.

Who in their right minds would lead a life such as this? Who would write it? And why? To write the Math end, to write the history of this book, it would seem that the Author would need to be well versed in those subjects, especially to bring it to life as he has. There are text books which can lay out the various notations and formulas, experts and scholars to draw upon, witness of history, recorded for posterities sake,

But, where is the basis for Jack's extraordinary life? Admit that it makes seamless sense, this story of Jack the Author Delights us with. Though most of us would not desire to lead the life portrayed within, is it not within our grasp should we so choose? But, where do we start? Perhaps just as importantly for Jack, is there a way to make it stop once begun?

The Later Years

It is shown, in subsequent books, that Jack is indeed, a Catalyst, a Natural Leader. We see a Jack, for the most part, who is stripped bare. In the Eyes of many Modern, City Dwelling, Middle Class peoples, the World Over, Jack, would be a failure. Certainly, not a man to be emulated, nor, held up as an example of how to live one's life. And Yet... The Ability to make Decisions, to remain, unclouded, undetered, and spontaneous in the face of the impossible. He truely faces the unknown, time, and time again, and, returns, unbroken, and undiminished. We live in a World where "Hero" is banded about, still carries enormous meaning, yet, has no place in the Upward, Rabid Scramble we carry within our hearts, The desire to Attain... at any cost, to our selves, or others. Is it outrageous to say that Jack is the Unambitous "Hero"? A man of One Goal, that, at the end, becomes a thing divided. A Man who pursued what was important to HIM, and cared not a Whit what others might make of that, for good or Ill.

Jack the Lad

Jack Sheppard (1702-16 November 1724) was a notorious English robber, burglar and thief of early 18th century London. He was as renowned for his crimes as he was for various attempts to escape justice. His repeated arrests were part of the downfall of the notorious "Thief Taker General" (and thief), Jonathan Wild.

A carpenter's son, John Sheppard (better known in life as Jack Sheppard, even 'Gentleman Jack' or 'Jack the Lad') was born in London's Spitalfields area in 1702. Although his father died while Sheppard was young and the boy spent time in a workhouse, he entered into the same trade as his father, but he fell into bad company and began to augment his day-to-day earnings with the proceeds of a series of break-ins and thefts.

Even when arrested, Sheppard was able to escape from St Giles Prison by sawing through a timber ceiling, and he escaped from Newgate Prison no less than three times during 1724.

The first time, he filed through his manacles, made a hole in the wall and used bed-clothes to descend to ground level. The second time (30 August) saw Sheppard (already sentenced to death) escape by cutting a spike from a window used when talking to visitors. Despite being confined to a strong-room known as the 'Castle', his third escape (14 October) involved use of a nail (to unlock his chains) and an iron bar (previously used to block a chimney) to break through doors and walls, after which he again used a blanket to reach the roof of a nearby house from which he could make good his escape.

He remained at liberty for just two weeks before being re-arrested. However, he planned at least one more escape, a pen-knife (intended to cut the ropes binding him on the way to the gallows) was found by a prison warder shortly before he left Newgate for the last time.

After a joyous procession through London which was as much as anything a celebration of his life, Sheppard was hanged on the gallows at Tyburn and buried in the churchyard of St Martin's-in-the-Fields.

His exploits were recalled in (among other places): * as the figure of Macheath in John Gay's The Beggar's Opera (1728) and The Threepenny Opera of Bertholt Brecht and Kurt Weill * a melodrama by W.T. Moncrieff Jack Sheppard the House-breaker (1825) * a novel Jack Sheppard by William Harrison Ainsworth (1839) (later the same year adapted into a successful play by John Buckstone) * a British costume drama Where's Jack? (1969) director: James Clavell, with Tommy Steele in the title role * a book The Thieves’ Opera by Lucy Miller (1999) * an as yet unreleased film Jack Sheppard and Jonathan Wild with Tobey Maguire and Harvey Keitel (directed by Ben Ross, who also wrote the screenplay) * In Neal Stephenson's The Baroque Cycle (2003, 2004), in which the character Jack Shaftoe was partly inspired by events from the life of Jack Sheppard.