American Gods question

Okay, I just finished reading Neil Gaiman’s American Gods. And I managed to figure out (ahead of time) many of the little details that are revealed later on. (Things about Shadow, who Mr. World was, identities of certain gods, etc).

However, there’s one that is still kind of tricky, and I haven’t found it yet. And forgive me if somebody has already asked this elsewhere (I think this is pretty likely).

The god that seems to disappear from memory quickly. Or at least, Shadow could never solidly catch or remember his name. Best I can figure is that he was from some Hindu / Indian pantheon – this primarily from the fact that Wednesday has to promise him Soma, which I found was a drink of the gods in Hindu mythology.

Haven’t been able to pinpoint who exactly this guy is, though – I’m guessing it must be some god of forgetfulness, or something similar. But I haven’t been able to pinpoint a specific name.

Anybody know this one?

This question has been asked and debated many times over on the www.neilgaiman.com discussion boards, with no result. neil himself has been asked several times but has refused, for whatever reason to answer the question.

you could go to the above mentioned site and ask but I must warn you that the most of the posters there are full to semi full asshats.

Right. In fact, I already saw the FAQ questions about it on his site, where this same question is item # 1, and then item #2 is from another reader (curses on him/her!! :wink: ) who requests that Gaiman not answer the question! That s right here:

American Gods FAQ

So, that’s why I posted here. Apparently this is one that can be figured out, since Gaiman said he was going to answer (suggesting it’s not a god he just made up). Since I couldn’t get the answer on the Gaiman site, I was wondering if anybody here has managed to figure it out themselves?

So, anyone? anyone? Bueller? Bueller? :slight_smile:

I have given some thought to the identity of this God…clearly seems to have something to do with money. The concept of money and wealth, perhaps? As far as why he is so intangible, maybe that’s because the POWER of money is so intangible itself? Sure, you can count money, but the local-global effects of wealth are pretty nebulous and there’s a lot going on behind the scenes. Plus, the power of money is often that much more powerful when it is unseen, and done in secret (viz. Deep Throat in All the President’s Men, etc.).

As to the Soma thing, well, can’t bribe him with money, and what does a God like that care for war, blood, and corpses. This God wants the bottom line, which, it sounds like for Gods, equals Soma.

Just my 2 cents worth, it’s a theory still in progress.

I only finished the book yesterday. Loved it to bits, though. Now I need to pester all my friends endlessly to read it too (like I did with Tim Powers’ Last Call, and Neal Stephenson’s Cryptonomicon).

Now, here’s my question: Who/what were Czernobog and Bielebog supposed to represent? I pieced together most of the other pantheic references but not that one…

'vark

Frankly, I think Neil is just messing with us. I don’t think it can be figured out, and I don’t think there’s a real answer.

If you look at the official Neil Gaiman website’s FAQ linked in the OP, it does mention that there is an answer to this question, and Gaiman was about to reveal it. Then someone wrote him asking him not to do that.

Personally, I’m kinda surprised this question has apparently stumped the Dopers here. :smiley:

So, Arteyu, are you going to enlighten us? I’ll give you a lump of sugar :wink:

Regardin Czernobog and Bielobog, from This AOL Web site:

Daniel

For Artax, I assume? :smiley:
I wish I knew the answer myself. My strong suspicion is that it is a god of memory, but I’ll be darned if I can figure out which mythological pantheon he hails from. For some reason, the name “Lethe” keeps coming to mind whenever I think of this question, but I get the feeling that can’t be right.

Last night I saw upon a stair
A little man who wasn’t there.

If you want a WAG, I’d say it’s Fate.

He would hang out in a place where people’s fates changed quickly, almost randomly. Vegas?

Who would Fate hang out with in Vegas? There’s a passing moment when Wednesday asks him if “she” will be coming, to which our stranger tells him no. Who is “she”? Another WAG, but I’d say Lady Luck (who never appears if you call her name anyway).

Of course that doesn’t explain the innate connection with money, or why he’d be forgotten so quickly, but that’s my guess. I first thought he might be a god of money, but I thought that Money would be one of the new gods instead of the old (even though currency is old, people haven’t been “worshipping” it to the extent of modern times).

haardvark – I was thinking forgetfulness, but wealth also makes sense – after all, he was the guy in Vegas.

I’m still thinking Hindu pantheon, since I found Soma listed as the drink of the gods in Hindu mythology. If it’s Hindu, then possibly Kubera – Hindu god of wealth…?

Kubera

Although I’m still trying to look up references to this god to see if there’s any good reason why people should immediately forget him.

He’s also mentioned on this page, which I didn’t find before, but found now when searching on Czernobog (I was going to find other resources to link for you, on that one). This page appears to be an attempt to list the gods appearing in American Gods, according to the person who did this page. He lists Kubera on it (although not specifically as Forgotten Guy, and I don’t know if he’s right or not even if that’s the one he intended).

only the gods are real

He’s got quick descriptions of Bielebog and Czernobog, too.

I know. I read it before. I didn’t believe it then, and I don’t believe it now. I think Gaiman is just messing with us. If the easily forgotten god is not completely invented then many of his distinguishing features must be. Anyone who believes otherwise should feel free to change my mind by finding a mythical god that is consistent with the description in the book, but I don’t think it can be done.