The dual effect of words in "Two words" by Isabel Allende
by
harshpatel2396 (student)
Harsh Patel
Mrs. Colwell
ENG 2D8
Due: February 27, 2012
The Dual Effect of Words
Deep insightful words are so strong that a blow with a word strikes deeper than a blow with a sword, as words have a terrible power to influence one’s mind for better or worse. A literate lady named Belisa Crepusculario uses powerful words to create a presidential speech for the Colonel, resulting in a positive effect and influence of the society. However, this is not always the case as words have negative effects on the society and influence on one’s mind. In the story “Two words”, Isabel Allende demonstrates that Belisa’s words have positive and negative effects on society. Therefore, meaningful words have the power to create dual effects by influencing one’s mind and changing perspectives.
Belisa’s speech demonstrates the positive effect of words as it influences the society to support Colonel even though he is a frightening person. This is first shown when the colonel kidnaps Belisa to buy words for his presidential speech. As literate and intelligent Belisa is, she prepares a speech with “words sure to touch the minds of men and women’s intuition” (Allende 6). From the knowledge she obtains, she uses words in the speech that persuades, relaxes and changes the villagers’ views into voting for Colonel. After Belisa finishes writing the presidential speech, she reads it aloud three times, and sees “the emotion in the faces of the soldiers who had gathered around to listen, and saw that the Colonel’s eyes glittered with enthusiasm” (6). The speech definitely has a positive effect as visible by the expression on the soldiers’ faces and especially the Colonel’s who is excited and happy. The Colonel becomes confident that the speech and its powerful words will win his nation’s heart. Lastly, this positive effect of words is shown on the villagers when the Colonel and his fellow El Mulato present the presidential speech. As the Colonel speaks, the villagers are, “dazzled by the clarity of Colonel’s proposals and the poetic lucidity of his arguments, infected by his powerful wish to right the wrongs of history, happy for the first time in their lives.” (6) The words that comes out of the Colonel’s mouth persuade the villagers in a sense on futuristic hope and makes them feel relieved “for the first time in their lives” showing the positive effect of such powerful words on people’s minds. Belisa’s presidential speech for the Colonel contains influential words that have positive effects on the listeners, leaving a sense of excitement, hope and happiness.
