The Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry: An Exploration of Its Place in American English

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry is a novel written by Mildred D. Taylor and published in 1976. It is an award-winning work of historical fiction and chronicles the struggles of a black family in 1930s rural Mississippi. While the novel has gained recognition and praise from readers and critics alike, its impact on the development of American English is also worth noting. In this article, we will explore the role of Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry in American English and how it has helped to shape the language over the years.

The Language of Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry

The language of Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry is an important part of the novel's success. Taylor uses a combination of African-American English and Standard English to create a unique dialect that helps to transport the reader to the time period of the story. African-American English gives the characters a unique and distinct voice that helps to bring them to life in the reader's mind. Taylor also implements language features such as double negatives, rhythmic speech patterns, and code-switching to further enhance the characters' dialects.

The Impact of Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry

The impact of Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry on the development of American English has been immense. The novel is credited with popularizing African-American English, which has come to be accepted as a legitimate dialect of the language. The novel also contributed to the normalization of African-American English in the media, helping to reduce the stigma against the dialect.

The novel has also had an impact on the language of literature in general. The unique dialect used in the novel has been adopted by other writers as a way to bring their characters to life. This has helped to diversify the language of literature and ensure that all voices are represented in the stories we tell.

Conclusion

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry is an important work of literature that has had a lasting impact on American English. The novel's use of African-American English and Standard English has helped to normalize the dialect and ensure that it is seen as an accepted part of the language. The novel has also had an impact on the language of literature and has helped to diversify the voices we hear in the stories we tell.