Enoch Root, the shadowy deus-ex-machina/Ascended Master of Neal Stephenson's brilliant Cryptonomicon is the subject of much debate. Root appears to die midway through the book, in a scene set during WWII, only to reappear in modern times. Inquiring minds want to know: did Stephenson make a boo-boo? Is there more than one Enoch Root? Is he immortal? Here is a great deal of speculation on the subject, from both informed sources and astute guessers:
Here's my guess: Enoch Root is an alchemist who carries the philosopher's stone around in a cigar box. He really did die in WWII but was re-vivified by the stone. Consider:
1.
Enoch's age is difficult to discern, and he does not seem to get older.
2.
The contents of the cigar box seem to have healing powers.
3.
When Detachment 2702 is in Italy, Enoch Root says that he can speak Italian but would sound like a "16th century alchemist" or something similar (don't have the book in front of me). At first, I assumed that he learned scholarly Italian, but perhaps he was telling the literal truth.
4.
The symbol on the cover of Cryptonomicon is one used by alchemists.
(via EvHead)
