Why 3+ Syllable Words Do Not Make You Smart

In James Wood’s How Fiction Works, the main idea that is expressed is adoration for the third person free indirect style of writing, or something like that. This style of writing focuses on more of speaking like the character would speak. The author gives examples from books of a single word such as stupid that has a tremendous effect on the development of the character. The author of the book is thinking like his character and his character would think like that. That single word lets us introspect on the character. Why does she think it is stupid? I found many examples of this in Cormac McCarthy’s The Road. The dialogue the father and son share is extremely annoying but also, after reading this essay, very insightful. The two speak in one or two word sentences. Words such as “Okay Papa” etc. must have shown up at least one hundred times. But those two words have more depth than any elaborate sentence could hope to achieve. Their dialogue shows the simplicity they live in but at the same time, it shows the love they have for one another. It shows the sons respect for the father and vice versa. I know there are too many levels for me to even begging digging for. The author could have said “Okay Father, thank you for getting me food, but I would rather not go on the Road again, well, I guess it is plausible that we should because you know what is correct.” (Over exaggeration). But whose words would they be? Wood also talks about the words authors use and who they belong to. The simple words “Okay Papa” 100% belong to the little boy. I did not imagine the obviously erudite McCarthy thinking deep into his memory for words that were more eloquent than those. The boy wouldn’t be looking back into his memory for words to substitute the simple words. Firstly, he probably does not have enough energy to think that far and secondly, probably has an extremely limited vocabulary. The words the authors use are chosen carefully, there is reason for every single one. When I used to think of characterization I thought of the first few pages of the book which describe the protagonists but things have changed. Every single word a character speaks lends to his characterization; he says the words he says for a reason.