The Power of Language
The story is much more direct on this topic. The Professor dominates the narration for the first half when he is in a culture dominated by French powers and capable of controlling his speech (literally and metaphorically). In the second half, he is in the hands of the Reguibat and loses all such control when his tongue is removed. From this point, the story proceeds entirely with the Professor as a background character. Only when the Professor is purchased by the Ouled Nail does his perception of language resume. The emotional climax of the story is when he sees written text for the first time in months and can hear words in his head again.
Read more about this topic: A Distant Episode
Famous quotes containing the words power and/or language:
““Come unto me,” [Krokowski] was saying, though not in those words, “come unto me, all ye who are weary and heavy-laden”.... He spoke of secret suffering, of shame and sorrow, of the redeeming power of the analytic. He advocated the bringing of light into the unconscious mind.”
—Thomas Mann (1875–1955)
“Which I wish to remark—
And my language is plain—
That for ways that are dark
And for tricks that are vain,
The heathen Chinee is peculiar:
Which the same I would rise to explain.”
—Bret Harte (1836–1902)