Bernard as Ringleader

On Tuesday, we mentioned in class that Bernard might represent a "dictator." At least, we knew, he seemed to be the leader of the group. I'm intrigued that he consistently begins every section (at least, as far as I've read, he has). He is the first one to speak, followed by the others. We were also discussing in class how their thoughts become more sophisticated as the characters age, even though their thoughts as children are already quite introverted (though we had some difficulty in pinpointing an exact answer).

I have examined the beginning of the first few sections to see Bernard as aging leader. Again, it's interesting that he begins the section although he may not be the most interesting character, and it's hard to say that he would be more prevalent than the rest (which we've seen from the majority of blog posts being about Rhoda, I believe). Bernard begins, "I see a ring hanging above me. It quivers and hangs in a loop of light" (4). In the next section, he says/thinks, "Now, the time has come" (20). Already, we have advanced in maturity. He advances from making a simple, visual observation to contemplating more abstractions--here, it is time. In the next section, he says/thinks, "The complexity of things becomes more close here at college" (54). Here, he bluntly states that things are becoming more complex. Bernard sets up the beginnings of chapters to illustrate the characters advancing in life, and he also sets the stage for the individual chapter itself.