My Absolute Darling Language Analysis

Daniel Tallent’s My Absolute Darling follows the story of a young girl, Turtle, as she struggles to survive in her somewhat isolated life with her abusive father. Specifically, throughout the novel, Turtle battles not only with her father’s view of her and their world, but also with how she views herself. In this passage in particular, Turtle has run away, enabling herself to think perhaps more clearly about her life. While this passage seems to discuss how far one’s control over another reaches, and the effects of that, through Turtles inner dialogue during her time away from her house, Tallent actually communicates that distance allows one to gain a new perspective and perhaps grant them the power to make changes. Tallent communicates the importance of separating oneself from a situation through Turtles inner dialogue throughout this passage. During Turtle’s first interactions with the boys, Tallent repeatedly writes, “she thinks” (83-85). Through the repetition of this phrase, Tallent communicates the importance of inner

Tallent writes, “I could go back and it wouldn’t even be hard, except – what are you giving up on, if you do that? She thinks, you know exactly what you’re giving up on, and the question is, what are you willing to risk?” (85). Through this scene, the options that Turtle has are revealed to her. She becomes aware of what she has gets and what she gives up, both by staying with Brett and Jacob or by returning home to her father, something that alluded her while she remained at home. Tallent suggests that through the distance, and through the inner dialogue that allows an individual, one is able to see more clearly all aspects of a situation, and perhaps gain a better idea of what is truly right for that individual. It grants one the ability to see what else is available to him or her, and what one is or is not willing to forfeit to have those new