How Does Susan Barton Use Language In Foe

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In final chapter of foe the author shows the limitations of language and the truthful power of silence. Through out the book the author uses the character Friday to show the gap between meaning and language. The character Susan helps prove this with her story in which she is constantly searching for substance and identity. She feels that without her narrative her story doesn’t exist. Most importantly she feels without it, she is not a substantial being. Susan’s quest for identity through language helps shape the character Friday and creates the truth that he represents by resisting language. Therefore, as Susan continues her quest we come to understand the inherent gap between meaning and language at the end within Friday.

In the final …show more content…

The skin, dry as paper, stretched tight over their bones. Their lips have receded, uncovering their teeth, so that they seem to be smiling. Their eyes are closed" (153). It seems as though the deaths of Susan and the captain necessarily lead the narration to the voice of Foe, as he is the only surviving voice able to describe the happenings in the final chapter. Though the narrative has completely transferred from Susan Barton's perspective to whom I believe is Foe, it is necessary for the completion of the journey of the main characters, which are incapable of furthering their stories after death. Though Susan has passed away her story can be told, though not exactly the way she intended, there is some …show more content…

He simply describe Friday home as a place with no words. At this point the reader may begin to question how does one live in place like with no language to communicate. I believe the author purposely describes it this way so that one will question language and its importance. This questioning will help the reader understand what the character Friday represents. The author then breaks language down to its building blocks. He describes language as nothing more than just mere syllables. He specifically does this to emphasize the point that language is not something that exists naturally in the world or in Friday’s. He wants the reader to understand that language is only an agreement between those that use as a mode of communication. In Friday even the slightest utterance of a word is completely washed away. This can also be seen as how Friday processes Susan’s language when she tries to communicate with him; he completely dismisses it. The author states that it’s a place where bodies are their own signs which in turn is putting more emphasis on Friday’s truth. Friday only expressed himself through his body and did not use language as a mode of communication. I believe what he means by bodies being signs is that our bodies alone are able to communicate who we are on the inside. It seem as though Friday is barely alive showing that although Susan and the

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