[BIG SPOILERS AHEAD]
After reading UA, and thinking about how amazing it is that PTerry is still able to produce works of this quality in spite of his deteriorating mental and physical capabilities, I started thinking about Nutt's own triumphs over his own self-imposed limitations, and it occurred to that perhaps Nutt symbolizes PTerry's own struggle to live with his condition.
Nutt's central motivation is about continuously providing "worth" to counter the public's perception of orcs as horrible, stupid creatures. Behind this character, we might see PTerry's personal struggle to continue writing in spite of his diminishing capacity, both physically and mentally.
Of course, unlike Nutt, Pterry was never "chained to an anvil," although this may symbolize PTerry's feelings about his pre-Alzheimer's life, when cranking out DW novels might have represented, in some small way, a form of imprisonment imposed on him by his fans, even if at the same time he knows unlike Nutt, that he has been providing "worth" all these years.
However, the 'freed' Nutt toiling away in the tallow might represent how Pterry sees himself today--as someone who, free of his former literary burden but now hampered by limitations has to start at the bottom again, to prove to himself (and his fans) that he can still "provide worth."
Mutt's realization that he is an orc could symbolize PTerry's own journey of self-discovery once he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. Like Nutt, he may have tried to deny what was happening to him, and lurched toward the conclusion after going through the usual "7 stages" and ultimately accepting the inevitable. Nutt's "death" at the hands of Andy might represent the time when PTerry hit spiritual bottom, and the characters' belief that Nutt was truly dead could symbolize the belief among some of his fans that PTerry's writing days were over. Nutt's "resurrection" from death might symbolize the his emergence from denial and the beginning of the metaphysical road leading (like Nutt's realzation that he is an orc) to the inevitable conclusion that the situation is irreversible. But, instead of running away from it (as Nutt tried to do), he, with the support of his family, friends, and fans, embrace the challenge and resolved do the best with what he had, metaphorically breaking the chains of his own self doubt as Nutt broke his literal (and figurative) chains.
Nutt's challenge to the Ankh-Morpork community at the end of the game might ultimately symbolize PTerry's "flipping the bird" at those in the media or certain fans who had written him off (or who he thought might have written them off).
In the end, Nutt's decision to go help the other orcs may symbolize PTerry's own efforts to raise awareness of and funds for Alzheimer's research and treatment.
Jeff in Boston
After reading UA, and thinking about how amazing it is that PTerry is still able to produce works of this quality in spite of his deteriorating mental and physical capabilities, I started thinking about Nutt's own triumphs over his own self-imposed limitations, and it occurred to that perhaps Nutt symbolizes PTerry's own struggle to live with his condition.
Nutt's central motivation is about continuously providing "worth" to counter the public's perception of orcs as horrible, stupid creatures. Behind this character, we might see PTerry's personal struggle to continue writing in spite of his diminishing capacity, both physically and mentally.
Of course, unlike Nutt, Pterry was never "chained to an anvil," although this may symbolize PTerry's feelings about his pre-Alzheimer's life, when cranking out DW novels might have represented, in some small way, a form of imprisonment imposed on him by his fans, even if at the same time he knows unlike Nutt, that he has been providing "worth" all these years.
However, the 'freed' Nutt toiling away in the tallow might represent how Pterry sees himself today--as someone who, free of his former literary burden but now hampered by limitations has to start at the bottom again, to prove to himself (and his fans) that he can still "provide worth."
Mutt's realization that he is an orc could symbolize PTerry's own journey of self-discovery once he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. Like Nutt, he may have tried to deny what was happening to him, and lurched toward the conclusion after going through the usual "7 stages" and ultimately accepting the inevitable. Nutt's "death" at the hands of Andy might represent the time when PTerry hit spiritual bottom, and the characters' belief that Nutt was truly dead could symbolize the belief among some of his fans that PTerry's writing days were over. Nutt's "resurrection" from death might symbolize the his emergence from denial and the beginning of the metaphysical road leading (like Nutt's realzation that he is an orc) to the inevitable conclusion that the situation is irreversible. But, instead of running away from it (as Nutt tried to do), he, with the support of his family, friends, and fans, embrace the challenge and resolved do the best with what he had, metaphorically breaking the chains of his own self doubt as Nutt broke his literal (and figurative) chains.
Nutt's challenge to the Ankh-Morpork community at the end of the game might ultimately symbolize PTerry's "flipping the bird" at those in the media or certain fans who had written him off (or who he thought might have written them off).
In the end, Nutt's decision to go help the other orcs may symbolize PTerry's own efforts to raise awareness of and funds for Alzheimer's research and treatment.
Jeff in Boston