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Post by timlehms on Oct 12, 2011 19:23:41 GMT -5
Through reading the various voices of the different characters point of view, it becomes clear that there is quite a bit of variation among the characters in terms of linguistic abilities. The range extends from the realm of Anse, Dewey Dell and Vardaman and only increases in skill level there after. However, Darl demonstrates by far the most control over language. My thought was that perhaps he received some kind of formal or informal education while serving in the army. Does anyone have any knowledge as to whether soldiers were given formal education during WWI? Any other theories on why Darl sounds more educated?
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Post by abasil9 on Oct 12, 2011 19:34:35 GMT -5
I noticed that, too! I have always had the feeling that Darl was somehow separated from the rest of his family, through both his "omniscient" presence as a narrator and his decision to heighten the rivalry of Jewel and Cash in a time where the brothers should be together. I think Faulkner uses Darl's language to further show his separation from the rest of the family. Everything about his narration, from the complex paragraphs to even just the proper manner of speaking eludes to the fact that either his educational background is different (maybe from the war) or maybe it is just a more subtle way of Faulkner distancing Darl from the rest of his family through dialect.
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Post by btunis9 on Oct 12, 2011 20:22:34 GMT -5
I agree that Darl's language is another thing that isolates him from the rest of the family, in addition to his service in the war. His articulate manner of narrating may be attributed to the fact that he appears to be the only family member to have had exposure to the outside world through his time fighting overseas. This exposure to life outside rural Mississippi may also contribute to the separation between him and the rest of his family because they only have the limited perspective of living on an isolated farm. For example, now that he has seen more of the world, it must be more difficult for Darl to relate to Anse, who has not even been to town for eight years. I think the sophistication of Darl's language is simply another means for Faulkner to communicate the separation between members of the Bundren family.
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