How Grammar Impacts Meaning in Young Goodman Brown and Fences
The Nuances of Language:
How Grammar Impacts Meaning
Although an author’s grammatical choices may not have the most readily apparent impact on meaning, they ultimately play an integral role in the development of meaningful undertones in a literary work. An author’s use of grammar can be a result of their school of thought, a suggestion of deeper meaning, or an addition to character development. August Wilson’s Fences and Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “Young Goodman Brown” both include grammatical techniques and devices that contribute greatly to the meaning of the respective works. Ultimately, an author’s grammatical choices play an important role in the development of meaning in any literary text.
The grammatical styling of Fences tells not only of the genre in which it was written, but also of the intricate nuances of the characters themselves. Wilson’s genre of poetic realism is based in the ability to take very realistic scenarios and elevate them to a more heightened philosophical level. This genre completely parallels the description of Maxson’s own language use, “At times he can be crude and almost vulgar, though he is capable of rising to profound heights of expression.” August Wilson’s use of slang, profanity, and African-American dialect is fitting within the context of the play and plays into the expectations of a white audience. Maxson, as his children mention, is illiterate. And, his control of grammar and language is least when he is around his friend and colleague Bono. But, although Maxson may not have an eloquent level of speech, his control of language does improve when addressing his children. This transition reveals the lengths that Maxson will extend himself to for the best interest of his family. When Maxson’s language does rise to the level of philosophical ambition, his grammar changes form to include metaphors and dramatic pauses. Troy Maxson’s excessive use of baseball metaphors underscores the author’s development of him as a man who is
How Grammar Impacts Meaning
Although an author’s grammatical choices may not have the most readily apparent impact on meaning, they ultimately play an integral role in the development of meaningful undertones in a literary work. An author’s use of grammar can be a result of their school of thought, a suggestion of deeper meaning, or an addition to character development. August Wilson’s Fences and Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “Young Goodman Brown” both include grammatical techniques and devices that contribute greatly to the meaning of the respective works. Ultimately, an author’s grammatical choices play an important role in the development of meaning in any literary text.
The grammatical styling of Fences tells not only of the genre in which it was written, but also of the intricate nuances of the characters themselves. Wilson’s genre of poetic realism is based in the ability to take very realistic scenarios and elevate them to a more heightened philosophical level. This genre completely parallels the description of Maxson’s own language use, “At times he can be crude and almost vulgar, though he is capable of rising to profound heights of expression.” August Wilson’s use of slang, profanity, and African-American dialect is fitting within the context of the play and plays into the expectations of a white audience. Maxson, as his children mention, is illiterate. And, his control of grammar and language is least when he is around his friend and colleague Bono. But, although Maxson may not have an eloquent level of speech, his control of language does improve when addressing his children. This transition reveals the lengths that Maxson will extend himself to for the best interest of his family. When Maxson’s language does rise to the level of philosophical ambition, his grammar changes form to include metaphors and dramatic pauses. Troy Maxson’s excessive use of baseball metaphors underscores the author’s development of him as a man who is