We Were the Mulvaneys By Mary Lynn Berilla, Andrew Fischer, Casey Vaclavik “We do not die because we have to die; we did because one day, not so long ago, our consciousness was forced to deem it necessary.” -Antonin Artaud ☻

What Statement As Judd becomes depressed at his discovery of death, he realizes death is the heart of life. ☻

Literary Devices Imagery Syntax Repetition Telegraphic Synecdoche Setting ☻

Imagery gives insight into background characteristics and setting Line 4: “Sky the color of lead and the light mostly drained so I couldn’t see my face only the dark shape of a head that could be anybody’s head.” Line 42: “Dad and Mike in the Mud colored Ford pickup (Might as well buy our vehicles mud-colored to begin with, saves time, was dad’s logic)” ☻

Syntax develops Judd’s understanding of life and death Line 3-4: “Fast-flowing clear water, shallow, shale beneath and lots of leaves.” Lines 34 – 38: “(Though on a farm living things are dying, dying, dying all the time, and many have been named and others are born taking their places not even knowing that they are.)” Line 64: “(Did they?)” ☻

Repetition shows significance Line 20 – 23: “ONEtwothree ONEtwothree! thinking Every heartbeat is past and gone! Every heartbeat is past and gone.” Line 34 – 36: “Though on a farm…” Line 59: “Every heartbeat past and gone” ☻

Telegraphic Sentences and a Synecdoche shows in-depth thought Lines 59-60: “Them, too. All of them. Every heartbeat past and gone.” ☻

Setting foreshadows Judd’s thoughts and creates the idea of death as the heart of life Lines 34 – 38: “Though on a farm living things are dying, dying, dying all the time, and many have been named and others are born taking their places not even knowing that they are.” Lines 25-28: “…the leaves blown through the trees. Only the ever greens and some of the black birches remaining but it’s a fact when dry, yellow leaves (like birches) don’t fall from a tree the tree is partly dead. ” ☻

Connection to world Soldiers going off to war and fighting for their country  death  life = heart of life ☻