Words and Language

Words and language constitute a recurring motif in the novel because they are the twins’ primary interest; the novel utilizes this motif to explore language as a foundational means of understanding oneself and the world at large. This idea is first established early in the story, as the twins take an interest in language extremely early in their development. First, as infants, they develop a private language between them, which is a common real-world phenomenon between twins. Thus, they use language first to establish a connection between themselves. Then, as they learn English, they use language as a means of self-expression and external exploration. Their satisfaction and glee are apparent when they play with quirks of language such as words having multiple meanings: “We revolt you…We are revolting. Against you” (9). They also take an interest in how recorded word definitions can provide new...