Memoirs of Carwin The Biloquist

Memoirs of Carwin the Biloquist, A Fragment by Charles Brockden Brown. Memoirs of Carwin, the Biloquist (1803-1805) is a fragment of story written by Charles Brockden Brown published over a period of two years. Memoirs of Carwin, the Biloquist follows the life of a young man by the name of Carwin as he realizes his biloquial, ventriloquist, talents. Carwin develops this ability to perfection, being able to manipulate his own voice to sound like any person he wants. Memoirs of Carwin, the Biloquist begins with Carwin as a young boy, about 14 years old, living on a farm with his father and brother in Pennsylvania. Carwin is evidently different from his family in that he strives to have an education, especially through means of reading books. His father does nothing but discourages this desire, and expects Carwin to settle for a simple life on the farm. As a way to break away from his father's repression, Carwin continuously sneaks out into the woods at night with books to read by the moonlight. It is on one of these experiences that Carwin hears the echo of his own voice in the valley, giving him the inspiration to learn how to manipulate his voice. After several nights of practice, Carwin has the "power to impersonate" different people.