Language and Communication

Language and Communication Throughout Foe, J.M. Coetzee emphasizes the importance of language and communication in human interaction. Language and communication are reccurring themes that are personified mainly through the character of Friday. Friday is mute and not able to speak because he has no tongue. Though it is not clear how Friday lost his tongue, it is certain that Friday cannot speak. However, Susan Barton is able to speak as she possesses the means …

…arise from them. Freedom as a word means actually nothing, but it is a signifier to the human emotions of a strong desire. Though Friday is unable to speak, he has the ability to connect with other people through music and other interaction. However because Susan speaks to no one, there is no one to affect with her words, and they become nothing but empty words, emptiness not unlike the void into which she speaks.