# The Six Fingers of Time explained — Short Fiction

> Chapter companion for Short Fiction by R. A. Lafferty.

## What happens

Charles Vincent, having mastered the ability to accelerate his personal time by a factor of sixty, uses his power to read thousands of books, learn dozens of languages, and play ghostly pranks on the world. He is haunted by a faceless Old Man who warns him of a deadly race between success and failure, and by dreams of a six-fingered hand from the pit. Vincent's gentle interactions with the unafraid spinster Jennifer Parkey contrast with his growing obsession with a book linking genius to extra digits, and his study of cuneiform tablets hints at an ancient, ominous counting system.

## Themes in this chapter

### Reality and Perception

Vincent's accelerated state blurs the line between normal and supernormal experience, challenging his perception of time and reality.

### Knowledge and Its Limits

Vincent's quest to master all knowledge is tempered by the realization that the secret he seeks is dangerous and may lead to destruction.

### The Absurd and Inexplicable

The faceless Old Man, the six-fingered hand, and the mysterious choice Vincent faces introduce an absurd and inexplicable element to his otherwise rational pursuit.

## Character check-ins

### Vincent

Charles Vincent, now able to enter an accelerated time state, uses his power for intellectual pursuit and pranks, but grows increasingly troubled by the faceless Old Man and the smell of the pit.

### Jennifer Parkey

A spinster who is unafraid of Vincent's ghostly visits; she senses a connection to him in the normal world and shows concern for his health.

### Dr. Mason

Vincent's doctor, who is becoming unsettled by Vincent's condition and has made futile attempts to penetrate the mystery.

## Key lines

> I know that I cannot multiply energy and experience sixty times without a compensating increase of food intake, and yet I do it.

Vincent acknowledges the impossibility of his accelerated state but continues to use it despite the logical contradictions.

_Highlights the theme of reality and perception as Vincent defies physical laws._

> It is only very good people who have no fear at all of the unknown.

Jennifer's lack of fear toward Vincent's ghostly visits marks her as exceptionally good.

_Reflects on human connection and the nature of goodness._

> The secret isn't a simple one. It can only be arrived at after all philosophy and learning have been assimilated.

The faceless Old Man tells Vincent that the secret of the accelerated state requires complete mastery of knowledge.

_Connects to the theme of knowledge and its limits._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_45_se/chapters/the-six-fingers-of-time
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_45_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_45_se/chapters