words Flashcards
She wore a terrible green dress the first time he saw her…but he could see that her neck was slender and her waist narrow…”
The detailed sensory description of Isobel underscores Ian’s initial physical attraction to her. The negative connotations of her ‘terrible’ dress and ‘clumsy’ shoes contrasts starkly with the description of her ‘slender’ neck and ‘narrow’ waist. This adds depth to Ian’s perception of her and suggests he is paying attention to the small things about her.
Leaned across the table and placed long, ribbony Spanish phrases into Ian’s mouth, encouraging and praising him when he got them right…in his somewhat stiff northern voice gave back the English equivalents…”
The sophistication and elegance of Isobel’s ‘long, ribbony’ Spanish tongue contrasts sharply with Ian’s ‘stiff’ simplistic language. This quote emphasizes the importance of language in the story and the potential barriers it can create
BEGINNING: FIRST MEETING
It was her voice more than anything he fell in love with - its hills and valleys and pliant, easy-sided wit.”
The metaphor ‘hills and valleys’, as well the description of her ‘pliant, easy-sided wit’ vividly captures the essence of Isobel’s voice, emphasizing the theme of language and communication to their relationship, and suggesting that her voice was central in Ian’s attraction to her.
MEETING - LOVE
“They promised with their eyes and in their two languages as well to love each other forever.”
The visual imagery illustrates the bilingual connection between Isobel and Ian, as well as underscoring their deep connection through the verb ‘promise’. The reference to the ‘eyes’, known as windows to the soul, showcases the multifaceted nature of their relationship and the different ways they communicate with each other.
TOWARDS BEGINNING
“A plug accidentally pulled from its socket - prevented his exact words from being recorded.”
This freak accident serves to foreshadow the events later on in the story, where Ian’s voice, that had helped him gain the support of many in his pledge for the planet, can no longer be heard and Isobel, who he ironically first fell in love with for her voice, forgets what he sounds like and in turn forgetting the person he was. This highlights the importance of language in their relationship and in establishing identity.
MIDDLE - BEFORE CRISIS - RISING ACTION
“He tried to tell them with his eyes that he still loved them…“Leave him alone” Isobel said sharply.”
The soft non-verbal communication (‘with his eyes’) juxtaposes Isobel’s verbal sharpness, highlighting the story’s exploration of different modes of communication within relationships.
AFTERMATH OF QUITTING SPEECH
‘Show me you’re still human’, she would say. ‘Give me just one word’
AFTERMATH OF VOW
She forgot, finally, what it was that had betrayed her. Next, she forgot her husband’s name. Sometimes she forgot that she had a husband at all.
The repetition of the verb ‘forgot’ expresses Isobel’s sense of personal loss and disorientation. This highlights the story’s exploration of memories, communication within relationships, and the consequences of Ian’s silence.
AFTERMATH
He heard a waterfall of voices…his wife’s voice, her old gilt-edged contralto
The importance of language in the story is highlighted through the poignant audio imagery, such as references to a ‘waterfall’ in the description of voices. Isobel’s voice being described as a ‘gilt-edged contralto’ compares it to a finely embroidered piece of cloth, illustrating its sophistication and elegance.
Where they had begun before - with table, chair, bed, cool, else…
The story ends almost where it began, with the language and communication between Ian and Isobel portrayed as a basic syndetic list. Here, the last line ends with the family talking, portrayed through a list of linked nouns, highlighting the importance of speech for relationships and humanit
