The Quote: I slowed still more, my shadow pacing me, dragging its head through the weeds that hid the fence.
— William Faulkner, The Sound, and the Fury

Analyze:
1. In this sentence, form imitates meaning. How does Faulkner slow the sentence down, reinforcing the sentence’s meaning?

2. How would the impact of the sentence change if we rewrote the sentence to read:
I slowed still more. My shadow paced me and dragged its head through the weed-obscured fence.

Apply:
Using Faulkner’s sentence as a model, write a sentence that expresses reluctance. Use at least two phrases and one subordinate clause to reinforce the meaning of your sentence. Explain how your syntax reinforces your meaning.