Extenuating circumstances by Joyce Carol Oates

Introduction

The book, "extenuating circumstances" by Joyce Carol Oates is the story of an all-American family "that collapsed after their daughter is raped. The father, who was once a successful roofing company, slid his business and devoted his life to alcohol and prosecution, and three brothers, or abandon the family or trying to find a method of 'get revenge for their sister. This excerpt in particular describes a scene by the brook, where the youngest Mulvaney (Judd) contemplates life and the brevity of it. This episode occurs before the first family fell apart. Oates uses several literary techniques, such as stream of consciousness, the prospect of writing a first person narrative, and the method of foreshadowing to characterize indirectly Judd Mulvaney, who is the narrator of the manuscript as a young man age ripe, well aware of circumstances surrounding his life and someone who cares just for his family.(Kiszner,19)

Discussion

Judd thoughts are mainly known through the whole selection, and they concern essentially his own death which he feels is imminent. The stream of consciousness technique becomes evident early, when Judd is the creek. As he looks into the water, he passes in his mind what he thinks, and not only that assess near the creek, but he lets his mind wander in articles that do not forget to say his father and unknowingly, the rationality of children. As he stares at the moving water begins to concentrate his mind on his beating of her heart, she catalyst that directs the thought process Judd to focus on his life and eventual death. Several times Judd thinks exactly the same concept: "Every last heart beat and disappeared, as if every beat him and bring his family closer to their ends. The context seems to indicate that Judd is afraid of death, yet he is also aware that there is nothing he can do about that one day he too will die. This characterization method exposes the fact that Judd is resigned to the truth that will finally account, which shows that tower is mature for his age. For a year eleven or twelve old boy to consider such a thing as his own death shows that he certainly has proven over his life that made psychologically older.(Tierce,607)

The book is written to point to the first person view as a narrative, which adds and deducts the story itself. The pro of ...