When I first started reading this novel, I was really frustrated because of the fact that there is basically no grammar whatsoever. I was actually trying to replay every line in my head after reading it, but with the addition of grammar. But because that took too long, I got over it and just started reading normally. Once I got used to the unnatural way of writing, I actually began to enjoy it, because it allows the language to flow better and so you can be more engaged in the story.
What I have also been noticing in these first two parcels is the heavy emphasis on land and its imprtance in status. Often these references coincide with Ned talking about their lack of shoes and the fact that he and his siblings go barefoot. On page 35, Ned describes entering his house with his bare feet caked with soil. On page 39, he talks about stories that his mother would tell about how "all the land beneath [their] feet would be [their] own to walk on from dawn to dusk..." He mentions this same idea on page 47 as well. This idea of having their own land also seems to correspond with the idea of being an established family with ownership, not a family plagued by criminals and their crimes (whether by the Quinns or Red Kelly).
I can definitely identify with you on being frustrated with the grammar of the novel at first. It was difficult for me to understand where sentences began, who was actually speaking, and the replacement of "was" for "were" made me stumble a few times. But as I was reading, I actually began to read it out loud with a very country accent (quite entertaining), which made it much easier to understand what Ned was trying to say. (Don't worry; I was alone while doing this, so I didn't get any weird looks or suspicious comments.)
ReplyDeleteI think the repeated mentioning of land in the first segment is very important because it was how Ned, his family, and what seems like all of the society seemed to define themselves and find their identity. One of Ned's mother's main goals was to purchase land and be able to establish a home there. I certainly think this theme of land ownership will play out all through the novel.