Literary Devices in Mark Medoff's Novel Children of a Lesser God

Inroduction

The story in a novel written by Mark Medoff Children of a Lesser God centers around the relationship between a deaf woman named Sarah and a speech therapist named James. The novel explores themes of communication, disability, and power dynamics in relationships.

Symbolism

One of the most prominent literary devices used in the novel is symbolism. In the novel character of Sarah's deafness serves as a powerful symbol for the broader theme of communication. Her struggles to communicate with those around her and the ways in which she is misunderstood and marginalized demonstrate the challenges and barriers that can exist in communication.

Sarah's deafness also symbolizes the power dynamics that exist in relationships, particularly in her relationship with James. Her inability to hear and speak creates a power imbalance, as James is able to speak and hear and is often able to control and dominate their conversations. This dynamic is further reinforced by the fact that James is a speech therapist, and is, therefore, seen as the expert on communication.

Additionally, Sarah's deafness also symbolizes the societal attitude towards those who are different or have disabilities. Throughout the novel, Sarah experiences discrimination and marginalization due to her deafness, which reflects the real-world challenges that people with disabilities face in society.

Furthermore, Sarah's deafness also serves as a symbol of the importance of self-expression and autonomy. Sarah's desire to express herself in her own way, through sign language, and not to conform to the hearing world's expectation to speak, reflects the importance of being able to communicate in a way that feels authentic and true to oneself.

In summary, the symbolism of Sarah's deafness is used to explore themes of communication, power dynamics, societal attitudes toward those who are different, and self-expression. The symbolism is used to show the difficulties and barriers that can exist in communication and the ways in which it can impact the relationships and lives of people with disabilities.

Imagery

Another literary device used in the novel is imagery. Medoff uses descriptive language to paint vivid pictures of the setting and characters, which helps to create a deeper understanding of the characters and their emotions.

One of the most prominent examples of imagery in the novel is the description of Sarah's movements and expressions as she speaks in sign language. The imagery used to describe her gestures, facial expressions, and body language adds to the reader's understanding of her character and her emotions. It also helps to convey the complexity and richness of sign language, which is often overlooked and underestimated by hearing people.

Another example of imagery in the novel is the description of the setting. Medoff uses imagery to create a sense of place and atmosphere, which helps to establish the mood and tone of the story. For example, the imagery used to describe the classroom where Sarah teaches speech, gives the reader a sense of the environment and atmosphere in which the story takes place.

Imagery is also used to describe characters' physical appearance, which helps the reader to visualize the characters and understand their personality. For example, the imagery used to describe James, as a tall and confident man, gives the reader a sense of his physical presence and his personality.

In conclusion, the imagery is used to create a sense of realism and immerse the reader in the story. The descriptive language used to paint vivid pictures of the setting, characters, and their emotions, helps to establish the mood and tone of the story, and to convey the complexity and richness of sign language. The imagery also helps the reader to understand the characters and their personalities, making the story more relatable and memorable.

Point of view

The use of point of view is also notable in Children of a Lesser God that helps to shape the reader's understanding of the characters and events in the story. The story is told through both Sarah and James' perspectives which allows the reader to see the events from different perspectives and gain a deeper understanding of the characters and their motivations.

The point of view from Sarah's perspective allows the reader to experience the story from her perspective, which helps to understand her emotions and her struggles. Sarah's internal thoughts and feelings are revealed through her perspective, which allows the reader to understand her motivations and her frustrations. The reader also gets a glimpse of the barriers and difficulties that Sarah faces in communicating with others, which gives a deeper understanding of the theme of communication.

On the other hand, the point of view from James' perspective gives the reader a different perspective on the same events. James' thoughts and feelings are revealed through his perspective, which allows the reader to understand his motivations and his intentions. It also gives the reader a sense of how James perceives Sarah and how his perception of her changes over time.

The use of alternating point of view in Children of a Lesser God also helps to highlight the power dynamics in their relationship. The reader is able to see how James' perspective and actions can dominate the relationship and how Sarah's perspective is often overlooked and dismissed.

To sum up, the point of view in Children of a Lesser God is an important literary device that helps to shape the reader's understanding of the characters and events in the story. The alternating point of view between Sarah and James' perspective allows the reader to see the events from different perspectives and gain a deeper understanding of the characters and their motivations. It also helps to highlight the power dynamics in their relationship and to convey the theme of communication, specifically the difficulties and barriers that can exist in communication.

Irony

The irony is also used effectively in the novel to highlight the themes of communication and the ways in which it is often taken for granted. One of the most notable examples of irony in the novel is Sarah, who is a teacher of speech, but she herself is unable to speak. This ironic situation highlights the theme of communication and the ways in which it is often taken for granted. It also serves as a reminder that those who are experts on communication may not necessarily have the ability to fully understand the struggles of those who have difficulty communicating.

Another example of irony in the novel is the relationship between James and Sarah. James is a speech therapist who is supposed to help Sarah communicate better but instead he tries to change her and make her conform to the hearing world's expectations. This ironic situation highlights the theme of power dynamics in relationships and the ways in which individuals can attempt to control and dominate others.

Moreover, throughout the novel Sarah faces discrimination and marginalization due to her deafness. This is ironic because she is a teacher of speech, yet she is not given the same opportunity and respect as hearing people. This ironic situation reflects the societal attitude towards those who are different or have disabilities and how they are often not given equal opportunities and rights.

Finally, Irony is used in Children of a Lesser God to highlight the themes of communication, power dynamics and societal attitudes towards those who are different. The ironic situations in the novel serve as a reminder of the ways in which communication is often taken for granted and the ways in which individuals can attempt to control and dominate others. The irony also reflects on the societal attitude towards people with disabilities and the discrimination they face.

Conclusions

Children of a Lesser God is a novel that effectively uses literary devices such as symbolism, imagery, point of view, and irony to explore themes of communication, disability, and power dynamics in relationships. These devices help to create a rich and nuanced story that immerses the reader in the world of the characters and leaves a lasting impact. The symbolism of Sarah's deafness serves as a powerful representation of the broader theme of communication, power dynamics, societal attitudes towards those who are different, and self-expression. The imagery is used to create a sense of realism and immerse the reader in the story, by describing the setting, characters, and their emotions. The point of view in the novel is an important literary device that helps the reader to understand the characters, their motivations, and the dynamics of the relationship between Sarah and James. Lastly, the irony used in the novel serves as a reminder of the ways in which communication is often taken for granted, the ways in which individuals can attempt to control and dominate others, and the societal attitude towards people with disabilities. All these literary devices combined make Children of a Lesser God a compelling and thought-provoking novel that explores important themes that still resonate today.