Language in Cloud Atlas

While reading Cloud Atlas, I have consistently been struck by the ways in which language grows and changes throughout the novel. While this is a small detail to the book as a whole, I find it interesting that in order to represent the changing times, Mitchell puts a great deal of thought and effort into changing the ways that characters speak, and the meaning of words which are said. When the book opens, the reader finds a representation of the 1800’s through literature. Usage of words, the way that sentences are cobbled together, are both familiar, yet foreign. “Our noble Cpt. Molyneux today graced the Musket to haggle over the price of five barrels of salt-horse with my landlord” (17). While this sentence is understandable, it is still markedly different from how one would be expected to write, or talk today.                                              

In the next section, in Belgium of 1931, words and phrases become much more familiar, making the story easy to follow, and changing the overall flow. The tone is more familiar, as Frobisher writes to Sixsmith through a series of letters. This too creates a different atmosphere. Still, the sentences are generally short, often times leaving incomplete sentences: “Cause for minor celebration” (65), or “Said I was flattered, but protested that I couldn’t possibly accept a garment of such sentimental value” (67). These sentences seem to speed the story along because of their often “missing” pieces.

As the story progresses, language does as well. The stories of Luisa Rey and Timothy Cavendish are told in language which is most familiar to that of the present day. Words are all relatively normal and relatable, though there are some phrases which are used to relate to character profession and behavior in order to give them more life. It isn’t until the reader reaches the final two sections, on Sonmi-451 and Zachry, that language begins to change again.

In some ways, the language of these two sections might be considered to have degraded over time. In “The Orison of Sonmi-451,” words such as disney and nikon have come to take on a larger meaning, movie and picture. They are no longer the specific words they once were. As society has changed and technology has advanced so far, it is an interesting juxtaposition to see language seem to disintegrate. Still this happens with slang fairly frequently in our own, every day.

Finally, Zachry has the most markedly different language. Society seems to have fallen into chaos, and even language itself seems to have fallen with it. The “g” in words ending in “ing” have been dropped completely. While the sentences and phrases are understandable, they are very far from what one would consider normal. This difference can be seen in the first sentences of his section: “Old Georgie’s path an’ mine crossed more times’n I’m comfy mem’ryin’” (239).

I find all of these differences interesting because they are not only helping to define the world the characters live in, but they can be seen even in the world today. In my free time, I even found an article talking about the possible realism behind the change in language within this book, which only furthered my interest in the author’s intent. It is impressive alone to write a novel, but I think it’s something else to work so intently with language, as Mitchell has within Cloud Atlas.

Article: http://www.nbcnews.com/id/49505623/ns/technology_and_science-science/#.VP7-Ivx4pTY

Commentary similar article (original article unavailable): http://www.reddit.com/r/linguistics/comments/14dq6v/the_depiction_of_future_english_in_cloud_atlas/

The Importance of Asking Questions

Throughout Cloud Atlas, by David Mitchell, the reader is exposed to various societies, each with their own set of standards. On several occasions in the novel, the characters are led to believe that life is the way it is, it has always been this way, and that it is unlikely for life to ever change significantly. However, not all of the characters buy into this ideal. For example, after being introduced to certain people, Sonmi-451 of the “An Orison of Sonmi-451” story begins to realize how incorrect she is about her views on society, because she starts asking questions most other people are too afraid to ask. Mitchell uses Sonmi-451’s revelations to demonstrate how dangerous and inadequate it is to live under the assumption that all there is to life is the way one sees it.

For Sonmi-451, her discovery about the undisclosed truth about her society comes when she leaves the job she was created for and is exposed to life beyond Papa Song’s, the restaurant where she was employed. However, Sonmi-451 did not even have to step out of the restaurant to become curious. At first, Sonmi-451 becomes heavily influenced by a different fabricant, Yoona-939, who starts asking questions about life beyond the service industry. Yoona-939’s curiosity leads to an attempt to escape, which then inevitably leads to her death (195). Because of everything she is already exposed to, courtesy of Yoona-939, and because she starts asking too many questions of her own, Sonmi-451 is sent away. Her breakthrough comes when she returns to Papa Song’s after being gone for some time. She realizes that fabricants, like her, are basically mindless creatures, used to please and feed the purebloods. Sonmi-451 goes on to tell her traveling companion Hae-Joo, “We are just slaves here for twelve years” (231). The reader does not become aware of how accurate this statement is until much later in the novel, when Sonmi-451 is exposed to what Xultation, or fabricant retirement, is truly like. Instead of serving as a reward for more than a decade of employment, at Xultation, fabricants are killed, torn apart, and then their pieces are repurposed (342-3). The worst part is up until the very last moment before death, the fabricants are extremely happy because they are led to believe that they are finally being recognized for their years of service. By incorporating these two scenes in a futuristic story within the novel, Mitchell is sending out a warning to his readers. He wants his audience to realize how important it is to continuously question society, regardless of the consequences. Even if there are no answers at first, Mitchell wants the questions to keep being asked until answers exist. If not, society is at a greater risk for the mistreatment of its people.

The Damned UTD and The Catcher in the Rye

While reading The Damned UTD, a novel told in the point of view of the late English football manager Brian Clough, I couldn’t help but notice similarities to The Catcher in the Rye.

The most obvious similarity between The Damned UTD and The Catcher in the Rye is the point of view. Both novels focus entirely on the perspective of their respective narrator/main character, and both stories are told through the thoughts of their respective narrator/main character. These thoughts often take the form of informal, slang language, along with vulgarity. Both novels also include a significant amount of repetition of words and phrases. In The Catcher in the Rye, Holden frequently repeats “phony,” “that killed me,” and “give her the time.” Similarly, Clough repeats a variety of phrases throughout The Damned UTD. When mulling over the Leeds United loss of the two opening games, Clough repeats, “Not since Leeds United returned to the First Division in 1964 have Leeds United lost their opening two games of the season,” five times in half a page (188). Additionally, Clough similarly uses repetition later in the novel when he says, “I still haven’t left the office, still daren’t leave the office; the feet and the voices outside the door, whispering and whispering and whispering, over and over and over, the fists banging and banging and banging upon the door, again and again and again, the phone on the desk ringing and ringing and ringing, over and over and over” (275). In both cases, his use of repetition reflects his anxiety.  

While similar in certain aspects, the two novels also differ in some respects. The sentence structure is one difference between the two novels. The Catcher in the Rye’s long, jumbled sentences reflect the lengthy streams of consciousness of Holden. These streams of consciousness appear consistently throughout the novel. On the other hand, the sentences in The Damned UTD vary. At times, they’re choppy. An example of this is when Clough is reflecting upon Leeds United’s loss of their opening two games: “The corners and the corridors. The office. The long rope. The sharp knife. The loaded gun. The door. The exit” (188). Other times, the sentences are lengthy as they are in The Catcher in the Rye: “For hours and hours I run and I shout and no one speaks and no one passes, but I can read their game, I can read their moves, so when the Irishman picks up the ball in his own half and shapes to pass, I move in towards him, to close him down, and the Irishman is forced to turn, to pass back to Hunter, a short, bad pass back, and I’m after it, this short, bad and deliberately stray pass, Hunger and Giles coming, Hunter and Giles coming, my eye on the ball, my mind on the ball, and Hunter is here, Giles is here and” (312). The sentence variation, or lack thereof, is a reflection of the dynamism of the characters, Holden and Clough. While Holden unceasingly exhibits teenage angst, Clough goes through periods of highs and lows. His shorter sentences are used in periods when he feels shouldered defeat, while his longer sentences reflect thoughts that are more quick-paced, such as his thoughts while watching a football game. 

Repetition, Repetition, Repetition

In David Peace’s The Damned United, the career of the famed English soccer manager Brian Clough is re-illustrated through both a first and second person point of view. One of the most common literary devices found throughout the novel is repetition. Specific phrases are thoroughly repeated at times to help illustrate ideas that Clough is portrayed to have as well as the mindset of athletes.  

One of main ideas that Peace communicates through repetition is Clough’s hatred of Don Revie, the previous manager of Leeds United. When Clough begins working with his new team, he constantly recognizes that his surroundings were once the home of Revie. He refers to everything as “Don’s office. Don’s desk. Don’s chair…his schemes and his dreams…his black books. His secret dossiers- his enemy lists” (10). Clough perceives his new team as if it still belongs to his hated rival and because of this, he continuously references such feelings throughout the novel.

The repetition Peace uses not only reinforces certain ideas such as Clough’s hatred for Revie, but it also mimics the mindset of athletes and trainers. Often times much of an athlete’s time is spent repeating the same action over and over again. Peace tries to re-create this experience in his writing with the repetition of non-idealistic phrases. When Clough’s right hand man Peter Taylor is scouting players, he “QUOTE” repeatedly. In sports we see the same thing; an athlete will practice until they have mastered a skill.

Repetition is supposed to improve one’s skills, but somehow Clough does not learn from doing the same thing over again. He states: “I never learn; never bloody learn. Never did and never fucking will” (172).  Thus, one must wonder what motivates Clough to keep doing what he is doing. He clearly recognizes that he is struggling to manage the Leeds, but he does not react and change his ways. It seems to me that he is either blinded by his ego and previous success with Derby or simply insane.

Brian Clough vs. Don Revie

Throughout the course of The Damned United the narrator and protagonist, Brian Clough, is consistently compared to and consistently resists being compared to his rival and predecessor, Don Revie. Revie is the classic corrupt coach who encourages his players to cheat and focuses on winning games and championships through superstition and foul play. Clough considers himself the opposite: a coach driven to win through hard work, fair play, and a love of the game. I agree with Clough in that the two are opposites in their coaching style, however, through his need for repetition in his recruiting style, I believe Clough is more similar to Revie than he thinks.

Clough first disassociates himself from Revie's coaching style in the press conference on his first day as manager of Leeds United. When asked what he will do for the team Clough states, "I want to bring a little bit more warmth and a little bit more honesty and a little bit more of me to the set-up… I can win it better. You just watch me" (15). Clough immediately wants to end the corruption and cheating habits of Leeds United. He wants to prove that he can lead the team to victory without using the dirty plays Revie allowed. During that same press conference, Clough is asked how he will follow Revie's legacy, which included the ritual of wearing a special suit on game days to ensure good luck. He responds saying he would throw the suit away if it had been in his office when he walked in, and the reporter responds, "'You're not a superstitious man then, Brian?' 'No, Austin, I'm not… I'm a socialist'" (16). Clough purposefully denounces superstition knowing that it is a staple in Revie's tactics. Clough is an extremely blunt man, and he uses his roughness to make it clear that he is not going to be a coach like Revie. As the situation at Leeds United deteriorates, Clough consistently describes the team as "his team" or "his players" referring to Revie. When the Leeds players are purposefully playing dirty and the team is losing its rank, Clough refuses to relate to them, describing them as, "[n]ot my team. Never. Not mine. Never. Not this team. Never- They are not Derby County and I am not Donald Revie" (324).  Clough refuses to be anything like Revie when he deals with the players of Leeds United, and he purposefully goes into the job without compromise, creating an abrupt change. When this tactic does not work, Clough disassociates himself from the team and further distances himself from Revie.

Though they are polar opposites in their coaching tactics, I believe that Clough is slightly similar to Revie in his need for repetition when recruiting and his affect on the soccer community. When Clough  receives the England's Manager of the Month award, the speaker references Revie saying, "'[h]is Derby County team is probably the first side since Ipswich under Alf Ramsey or Leeds under Don Revie to make such an immediate impact on the First Division'" (95). Clough has a very successful career, similar to Revie. Though his tactics are different, if not better, the resulting is still similar to Revie's. In addition, the tactics that Clough and Peter (his assistant) use for recruiting new players is very repetitive. Peter finds players on other teams that seem valuable and Clough goes in and makes them an offer they cannot refuse. He describes the process saying, "Observe. Expose. Replace. Observe. Expose. Replace" (112). This description is extremely repetitive, as is the process. Clough relies on that process to create a winning team for Derby. Though he denies the need for repetition, Clough indeed relies on it, and therefore is more similar to Revie than he believes.

Brian Clough: Family Man

David Peace's book The Damned United chronicles--and likely dramatizes--the career of Brian Clough, former football player and general manager for Darby and Leeds United.  The majority of the novel depicts Clough in an extremely negative light.  Peace emphasizes Clough's overly brutish businessman attitude, throwing countless swear words into the text and illustrating his harsh behavior with extreme real-life happenings.  Clough may be thought of as unforgivably inconsiderate to the people with whom he conducts business—from directors to players.  However, among all of the individuals that Clough despises, there are people in his life that he seems to genuinely value: his family.  While Clough's angry and explosive personality drives him to act very rudely towards numerous people in his life, he still has affection for his wife, two sons and his late mother.

Although Clough does not necessarily perform grand gestures of love toward his family, his admiration of them is evident in the narrative.  For example, Clough makes the most out of his time visiting his family at home.  He remembers when his sons’ midterm holidays are and makes the time in his schedule to visit home at that time rather than do business.  Additionally, he frequently asks his sons if they want to come with him to his workplace and may even seem slightly disappointed when they do not tag along.  He is kind to his wife, who has to bear seeing him on his worst days.  Although he throws tantrums around many business people and football players, he never once utters an unkind word to his wife.  She and his children remain frequently on his mind.

Additionally, Clough's utter regret of not being with his mother at the time of her death indicates his love for her.  Due to the frantic football business, Clough is in the middle of an extremely busy period when his mother suddenly dies.  This shocks him and troubles him while he proceeds in his career as evident by Clough's repetition of his thought: "Everything bad--You've lost your mam.  You've lost your mam.  You've lost your mam" (200).  As this thought sinks in, he reflects, "Every time you close your eyes, that's all you ever see, her face in the kitchen.  In the doorway.  In the garden.  In her hat.  In her nightie.  In the hospital.  You wish you'd buried your mam, not cremated her.  Now there is no grave, no place to go" (210).  Evidently, Clough is extremely regretful that he could not have been with his mother during her final moments of life.  Furthermore, he longs to have a place in which he can visit her on Earth; however, he despises himself for not making this realization earlier.

While Brian Clough acts bluntly, harshly and even sometimes brutishly toward countless people in his life, he consistently holds his family in a high regard.  Thus, although he does not embody the stereotypical family man persona, Clough certainly loves his wife, two sons and late mother.  Even though he may not clearly indicate this love to the members of his family, it definitely exists within him.

Time

              Although the novel obviously has numerous examples of repetitive phrases and actions scattered throughout, there was one repetition that struck me as particularly interesting, as it lined up with a notion that seems to be present throughout the novel. This repetition was the constant checking of his watch or rather the constant checking of his wrist even when the watch was missing. Every time that he checked his wrist for the watch and failed to find the time, he was firmly insistent that the watch was to be found immediately, “I am on my hands and knees on the training ground, looking for the bloody watch of mine in the grass and the dirt” (124).

 

              This struck me as particularly interesting because I believe he wasn’t just obsessive about it because of the fact that he lost it. I believe this had more to do with the notion that he was losing time or that he was wasting it in a sense. This hyper concern was him expressing that need to be aware of the time that he was using and to be aware of how much time he had left.

 

              But the checking of the watch wasn’t the only repetitive thing about time. There was also a significant portion of the novel where his mother has just died and he repeats the things either she or he could have done with time. Or what he would rather have done with time when she died.

 

              Then there is the obvious example of him feeling that the first three months of his time with the Leeds was crucial for him to make the changes that needed to be done. The time that he felt he was allotted to make trades and get his team the way he wanted felt strangled and rushed, but it was essential that it be done within that three months.

 

              Finally there is the obvious fact that half the novel is dedicated to looking back on the time that he had in Derby County. How they were his team and the time that he had with them was what he was truly meant to do with this life. It is in these sections that he reflects on how his time was well spent. He never expressly states it but I believe that he thinks the Leeds are a waste of his valuable time. They are Don Revie’s team and they always will be. This was “His corridor. Round the corner. His corner. Down the tunnel. His tunnel. Out into the light and out onto the pitch. His pitch. His field. His field of loss. His field of blood. His field of sacrifice. His field of slaughter. His field of vengeance. His field of victory” (259)! Brian feels that he has no business spending his time here when none of it is his. His time was well-spent and right when he was with Derby.

 

Time in this novel seems to be something that needs to be hyper valued and that needs to be spent as if it is a precious commodity. I believe this stems from what we were discussing earlier in class. His full time as a player was taken from him because of the injury. And then the time he could have spent with Derby County was taken from him too soon because of his sporadic behavior. Then the hypervigilance with time could be foreshadowing that once again he will lose his time with the Leeds and be fired before he really has a chance to show them his full potential.