Vardaman....The Youngin

Vardaman. The Youngest, and deemed the most uneducated. Varda meaning Orphan, and in that sense he is "lost" because he doesnt have anywhere to go. Moreover, his name relates to prison, which also demonstrates how Vardaman is trapped or emprisoned in his own family, and this is shown through his dialect. Since he is so uneducated, young, confused, lost, etc, his state of mind of all over the place, he cant articulate himself well, and he cant express himself the way he wants too. In relation of trapped, i feel that his mind is trapped in a sense because not only can he not express himself, but he cant escape the reality around him, which causes him to be lost.

With the reading last night ( River Crossing), i feel that Vardaman demonstrates innocence, vulnerability, and how lack of education can mentally alter someone. Specifically, I feel that the river crossing represents grief or a test of character, and since Vardaman is so young, he is not only able to comprehend his surroundings, but he isnt able to express himself, which goes back to his lost and confused mind, and his innocence. Since the death of Addie and other issues, he isnt able to fully grasp the information, he becomes lost and confused, and then his innocence is altered because he is so caught up in all of what surrounds him. Vardaman's situation also demonstrates his vulnerability as a young child and how he is easily caught into the realilty around him, which also alters his mental state. His lack of education also relates to how he is unable to express himself clearly and how his situation has greatly affected him and trapped him.

All in all, I feel that Vardaman as the youngest character was susceptible to being trapped, vulnerable, and unable to express himself, due to the fact that he is young and uneducated, so he doesnt fully comprehend things well, and he becomes confused and lost, which his name symbolizes.