Analysis Of We Were The Mulvaneys

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In this excerpt from We Were the Mulvaneys, Joyce Carol Oates explores the theme of death and the passing of time. The author characterizes Judd through the use of symbolism of a rushing brook to show Judd’s helplessness, stream-of-consciousness writing that reveals Judd’s tortured and confused thoughts, and repetition of a key thought to further emphasize Judd’s deep-thinking and tortured character.The except begins with Judd falling into a trance over a rushing brook. This brook begins his thoughtful journey, and symbolizes the years rushing past. This symbol shows us how, like the brook, the journey of life can absorb us; “it began to happen as it always does the water gets slower and slower and you’re the one who begins to move —oh boy! We-ird!” Just like life, the brook is glimmering and hard to hold on …show more content…

Judd’s character is revealed through his interaction with the brook; he feels helpless, and by extension that he feels helpless in the face of the relentless march of time. The symbol of the brook explores the theme of death and the passing of time by revealing that we are helpless against its advances.Throughout the excerpt, Oates employs stream-of-consciousness writing to reveal the inner workings of Judd’s mind. He fixates on things like the sound of his heartbeat: “helpless, in that instant aware of my heart beating ONEtwothree ONEtwothree!” and shows us the connections between his helplessness and his thoughts about death: “in a trance that was like a trance of fury, raging hurt Am I going to die? because I did not believe that Judd Mulvaney could die.” This glimpse into Judd’s thoughts provides the reader with invaluable insight on his character. His convoluted thought processes show us that he is a deep thinker, introspective for his young age of eleven or twelve, and that he is tortured by his knowledge of the passing of

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