Speech

Another distinction between Silas and the Coreys, another one that will keep him from top rungs on their social ladder if not their economic one, is his habit of bragging.  Silas loves to brag.  He will tell anyone within earshot anything about paint, his family, the war, his new house, anything.   The most serious error is when he talks about how much things cost.  The rich didn’t talk about such vulgar and trivial matters as how much something cost, at least not in company.  Pages 55 and 206 are just two instances of monetary amounts.

What’s more, not only does he talk about the wrong subjects, but he uses the wrong grammar and syntax with which to do it.  In just one example, talking to Bartley about his paint, he says  “Well, sir, that tavern’s got that coat of paint on it yet, and it haint ever had any other, and I don’t know’s it ever will.” (10).  He says “cut” for coat, “rud” for road, and “purr-ox-eyed” for peroxide.  Persis’ speech is a little better, but still countrified, especially when she’s embarrassed.  Penelope and Irene have been through enough schooling that they can hold their own in conversation with the correct, polite, mannerly, dignified speech of the Coreys.