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Articles

Volume 16, Number 1 (1991)

The Conflicting Inner Voices of Rachel Cameron

  • Barbara Powell
Submitted
May 22, 2008
Published
1991-01-01

Abstract

A stylistic analysis of passages from Rachel's monologues and conversations in Margaret Laurence's A Jest of God shows features of both sides of Rachel's linguistic character: her two voices are both personal and distinct. Rachel's nice voice is deferential and marked by the used of linguistic patterns that question, minimize, judge and negate: the hedgings and apologies are hallmarks of "negative politeness." Her strong voice is marked by intensifiers and absolutes. Both inner voices have patterns of transitivity that establish Rachel as an experiencer and object of actions and emotions; the use of reflexive personal pronouns reflects Rachel's subjective self-image. Her linguistic problems stem from mother-daughter difficulties. When Rachel abandons her powerless, self-effacing strategies of negative politeness and the hedgings and hesitations of stereotypical women's speech, she is able to act and mediate the differences between her two voices.