Language, Identity and Social Acceptance in Hal Borland’s Novel, When the Legends Die :: When Legends Die

Language as the Key to Identity and Social Acceptance in Hal Borlands Novel, When the Legends excreteIn the world today, many people are place by the way they look or act they are also authentic into society based on this criteria. However, in literature, one cannot be identified or judged on these aspects, these observations must be created solely from the way the constitution speaks. This intends that James Baldwin was correct in his 1979 essay when he stated that verbiage is a key to identity and social acceptance. This observation can be seen in the impudent When the Legends Die by Hal Borland.When the Legends Die is a novel virtually a boy, doubting Thomas, growing into a man. There are a variety of characters in this novel and without their different elans of speaking, the indorser would not be able to tell them apart. One example of identifying a character by what they say is a man named luscious Elk. Blue Elk was an super greedy Ute Indian. He would do anything, i ncluding sending other Native Americans to bang on reservations, where they were miserable, to stick easy money. So, in When the Legends Die when a reader sees a character talking about how much money he made, or who he has conned lately he or she knows that the character is Blue Elk. Another example of recognizing a character by their speaking style is a man named Meo. Meo was a bronco rider when he was junior and now he helps in training Thomas to become a champion rider. Meo also grows beans and loves making chili. He is always talking about the old days before his injury that ended his riding career, and how to make the perfect chili. So, once again, it is easy for the reader to recognize who is speaking by what he or she is talking about.Social acceptance is also a large point made in the novel. Thomas grew up as a Ute Indian and eventually became a bronco rider in rodeos. It is obvious that social acceptance is dependent on language because Thomas much change everything abo ut himself to be accepted by the white-hot riders. He was obligated to speak differently and he could not utter his feelings in the way he was brought up. Thomas could not express himself freely because he had grown up singing traditional Ute hymns with his mother to show their feeling, and he was not allowed to do that anymore.