Like thick yarn of a winter scarf, fragmented syntax and dreary
figurative language laced with gloomy imagery are the foundations for
the vivid portrayal of poor Quoyle. The fragmented and misplaced
sentences are formulated into the syntax and metaphors into figurative
language like how a number of threads wind together in a piece of
yarn. The yarn is then used by the author as he knits this passage to
give a dramatic impression of his character Quoyle; an impression that
reeks of sorrow, darkness and loneliness.
The dramatic impression is not only given directly. Using sentence
fragments, the author builds upon syntax to exaggerate Quoyle's fears,
his personality, and his physique. "A watery place" said to build
upon Quoyle's fear of water. "His own failure" said to assemble the
repetition of all of Quoyle's failures in life. "But no pygmy
himself" said to relate the character's father's personality and
weakness. "A great damp loaf of a body" said to accent Quoyle's
physical deformities. These fragments emphasize Quoyle's pathetic
life because the sentence structure represents how Quoyle would
describe his life; with short choppy sentences. His ability to not
speak clearly is symbolized through the sentence structure in the
passage; though the choppy sentences that only one who could not speak
clearly would utter. This indirect approach to Quoyle's character
shows the author wishes the reader to become familiar with the style
that Quoyle interacts with people.
Aside from the sentence fragments, random comments of Quoyle's habits
are put in no particular location. While stating "he camouflaged
torment with smiles," the author casually also puts "He ate
prodigiously, liked a ham…" as if the two dissimilar were about the
same topic. These two thoughts were placed by the author to represent
exactly how prodigious Quoyle was and to represent the chaos and
confusion that Quoyle harbored in his thoughts. The ability to...