Nightwood by Djuna Barnes

Silence as a figure of speech
The book by Djuna Barnes extensively as a figure of speech covers on uncertainty, confusion, the unknowable, doubt, impossibility of communication and the vital need to communicate. The work is depicting intimate relationships in Paris at the start of the 21st century. In the book key characters are Nora Flood, who features as an original American in Paris.
Robins silence and confusion play major roles in Djuna Barnes’s narrative of Nightwood. She is depicted to have married Felix and had a child with him from that marriage. She then leaves her husband Felix together with her child and develops lesbian relationship with Nora and later Jenny.
Finally in the last chapter of the book we are served with a different perspective of amazement and shock due to unnatural behavior and norm on the intimacy of Robin with a dog. While reading through the book one realizes the depiction of Robin as evil to be true when she is found having intercourse with the dog.
First time readers of the novel I agree with the editors who view Robin as the source of bad tidings to her other characters. Although Robin is the cause of all sore inflictions on the other people, we scarcely note her character in the book, except through the eyes of her fellow actors. Silence as a figure of speech shows her being spoken despite her silence. However, when re-reading and paying attention to Robin as a person from a different standing point as opposed to the first perception of her as destructive, one realizes her silence as part of speech.
Throughout the book, Robin’s actively felt in her interactions. For instance, during her relationship with her former husband Felix we are informed of his expectations and what his sensations are. From that silence, their marriage might have been instigated by Felix and Robin should have just submitted to the request. This silence is evident because at the time of their meeting, she was lying on bed unconscious.
On the day Nora met Robin it is Nora who introduced relationship by holding Robin’s hand. She is more puzzling in her relation with Nora than she is with Felix. During her time as an associate of Nora, Robin is quiet except when she tries to express herself and she is becomes victim for receiving no understanding. I think she chose silence because when she sings her close friend and intimate associate Nora can not understand the meaning of her song.
In silence the protagonist moves from one extraordinary relationship to another while strangeness increases from one to the other. However she has never been heard uttering her sensations or what she expects. All this while her relationships seem to be determined and dictated to her by Jenny, Nora and Felix. This is supported by the fact that her voice is silent and hence makes it impossible to determine her intentions besides understanding her. , so it is our job as readers to understand the reason of her silence. Silence as a figure of speech enables one to look at the novel as a work depicting minorities in the society. In the book there are no stereotypes of society but rather they are all oppressed voices or groups. This is evident from Doctor Matthew the cross dresser to Nora and Jenny the lesbians as well as Felix the Jew. In silence without complains and regard for her social circles, Robin is seen as a selfish character that is not considerate and attentive to the needs of other people. This is shown through her act of abandoning her husband and son besides other people who had social connections to her. However, other extensive considerations reveal that she was not understood by all these people and therefore leading to her silence (35-45).
As the story builds up, Robin opens up to speak although still not as frequent. Due to her unaccommodating relations she turns out to exhibit quire behaviors by getting down with the dog. This strange behavior depicts her ability to communicating to an extent of convincing the dog intimately. This act proves her best relations than she did with other fellow human characters. By fo...