Throughout
the section we read for tomorrow there were several scenes with Paddy, the Irish
lampman, but although he communicates with the others, he never gets to say a
line in direct speech. He only grunts (87), mutters (2x88, 91, 93), gabbles
(92) or mouths (93) something. Although he apparently speaks English (87), Kate
always has to repeat and translate his utterances to make them audible and understandable
for the reader and for the other characters.
I’m not
entirely sure what to make of the whole thing, however. Besides the comical effect,
the repeating and translating seems to fit somehow into our larger recurring theme
of copying and imitating. The fact that the Irishman doesn’t get a voice of his
own might also emphasize the superiority that is felt by the English throughout
the novel.
I really like you connecting how Kate must translate him to the copying. And it does certainly leave him with leave power vis-a-vis Raunce, but somehow it's different from the mimicry, which always seems to be mockery somehow. Kate doesn't mock Paddy, and in fact, as we find out, has chosen to form a pair with him.
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