Whether the reader is aware of it or not, abnormally long sentences such as the one written above capture attention and inform the reader that there is something here that they ought to pay attention to. In contrast, Link uses short, simple sentences in the vernacular to get the same point across. She writes, “’You need to come at the house from between the trees,” Fran said. ‘Right on the path. Otherwise, you don’t get nowhere near it. And I don’t ever use but the back door’” (Link, 29). These sentences inform the reader of the same thing that Jackson’s sentence does, that there is something different about what is happening, they just do it by telling it simply in comparison. The way Jackson and Link write their stories may be slightly different,
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In general, the setting of in the woods leaves the reader with the same feelings that “The Summer People” does with sentences like, “He glanced apprehensively at the trees so close to him, irritated by the sound of his own voice in the silence, as though the trees were listening to him and, listening, had nodded solemnly to one another” (Jackson, 2). Settings in the forest and furthermore personifying things like trees is something that is also prevalent in Irish folklore, as those stories focus heavily on enchanted nature. A smaller detail, but something definitely worth noting is the character’s preoccupation with names toward the beginning of the story. Jackson writes, “We’ll have to find a name for your cat” (Jackson, 2), and then later on, “’Now,’ Phyllis said softly, “now we can call your cat Grimalkin. Now we have a name, Grimalkin, and no cat, so we can give the name to your cat’” (Jackson, 9). It is common in folklore for names to be significant, as oftentimes it is said that one could control someone else if they know their name. Outside of that context, a reader could feel that these reoccurring comments about the cat’s name are random, but they are just one more tool used to exhibit the fact that parts of this story come from …show more content…
Throughout “The Man in the Woods,” it seems as though Mr. Oakes is preparing Christopher to take his place with scenes like the one where he is giving Christopher a tour of the house and Jackson writes, “’This, of course,’ Mr. Oakes said, ‘is where I have been sleeping, to guard the records’” (Jackson, 11). To further clarify this, a line toward the end is, “’Will you remember about the roses?’ he asked. ‘They must be tied up in the spring if they mean to grow at all’” (Jackson, 14). Mr. Oaks clearly plans on not being in the house in the spring to tie up the roses himself, and expects Christopher to be there to do it. A few lines later, Mr. Oakes takes a knife and leaves the house, and it is apparent that Christopher is meant to follow him by the dialogue, “’He’ll be down by the river,’ she said softly. ‘Go far around and come up behind him’” (Jackson, 15). It is never explicitly stated, but the end of that quote in conjunction with what was said earlier in the story implies that Christopher is to “come up behind” Mr. Oaks and kill him so he can take his place. However, the fact that this is never confirmed nor denied adds mystery and intrigue to the story, moods that are important to fabulist
In general, the setting of in the woods leaves the reader with the same feelings that “The Summer People” does with sentences like, “He glanced apprehensively at the trees so close to him, irritated by the sound of his own voice in the silence, as though the trees were listening to him and, listening, had nodded solemnly to one another” (Jackson, 2). Settings in the forest and furthermore personifying things like trees is something that is also prevalent in Irish folklore, as those stories focus heavily on enchanted nature. A smaller detail, but something definitely worth noting is the character’s preoccupation with names toward the beginning of the story. Jackson writes, “We’ll have to find a name for your cat” (Jackson, 2), and then later on, “’Now,’ Phyllis said softly, “now we can call your cat Grimalkin. Now we have a name, Grimalkin, and no cat, so we can give the name to your cat’” (Jackson, 9). It is common in folklore for names to be significant, as oftentimes it is said that one could control someone else if they know their name. Outside of that context, a reader could feel that these reoccurring comments about the cat’s name are random, but they are just one more tool used to exhibit the fact that parts of this story come from …show more content…
Throughout “The Man in the Woods,” it seems as though Mr. Oakes is preparing Christopher to take his place with scenes like the one where he is giving Christopher a tour of the house and Jackson writes, “’This, of course,’ Mr. Oakes said, ‘is where I have been sleeping, to guard the records’” (Jackson, 11). To further clarify this, a line toward the end is, “’Will you remember about the roses?’ he asked. ‘They must be tied up in the spring if they mean to grow at all’” (Jackson, 14). Mr. Oaks clearly plans on not being in the house in the spring to tie up the roses himself, and expects Christopher to be there to do it. A few lines later, Mr. Oakes takes a knife and leaves the house, and it is apparent that Christopher is meant to follow him by the dialogue, “’He’ll be down by the river,’ she said softly. ‘Go far around and come up behind him’” (Jackson, 15). It is never explicitly stated, but the end of that quote in conjunction with what was said earlier in the story implies that Christopher is to “come up behind” Mr. Oaks and kill him so he can take his place. However, the fact that this is never confirmed nor denied adds mystery and intrigue to the story, moods that are important to fabulist