It was hard to follow a lot of the parts of this story so far, and I started to get really confused (yet more interested) when the strangers voice comes in to play. It comes in slowly and gradually and seems to sneak up on you. At first I thought he was referring to his own voice sounding like a strangers (which I think it is) but then it started to take a life of its own.
I started to think about old Tarwater (again, I love the way she names people!) and how he was telling his young apprentice that God would come to him and tell him what he is supposed to do. Is the "stranger's" voice the voice of God? It seems a little mischievous though, so maybe it could be the devil? I remember my mom telling me when I was little how her mother told her about a man that came up to the house selling Bibles but the WAY he was selling them made her believe he was the devil in disguise. It's kind of like the serpent leading him astray...
I hope the voice comes up again, and we can find more about it.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
Yes, I was also very intrigued by this "voice." Sometimes the narrator calls it the stranger and other times his friend.
I can't wait to discover what this is all about. I don't think it's God or the devil. It seems like something else, like the cynical little voice of reality, perhaps?
The voice makes Tarwater question himself, but it does not seem to be omniscient.
You mention the serpent, and on pg. 357, the narrator tells us that "the stranger hissed" and that's exactly what I thought of. It's hard to view this person as completely evil though. The voice does seem to want to help Tarwater.
It'll be interesting to see what comes of it!
Good point. I too was curious about "the voice." At first I took it literally, as though he was conversing with someone. But the more I read the more I feel this is his independent self breaking free of the old man's hold.
Where this voice comes from? Who knows. Where does it come for any of us, but at a certain point, when reaching maturity, an inner voice takes shape and eventually becomes the outer voice.
I feel that this is the precursor to the younger Tarwater breaking free of the old man's teachings and working toward finding his own voice.
I agree; when the voice first entered the story I was very confused. At first I thought another character, who was not yet introduced, had entered the scene, but then I realized young Tarwater was talking to himself. This inner voice does sound rather mischievous, especially since it speaks to him while he is digging the grave for his great uncle. This act alone is very dark and depressing; this young boy is digging a grave and while he is doing this a voice speaks with him. Something does not seem right about this. I think eventually the voice will turn out to possess more devil-like qualities than God-like.
Post a Comment