The Power of Names

We just finished Translations and I find myself discovering commonalties between the works of Linda Hogan and Brian Friel. In the novel Power Omishto states, "everything, our words, our intentions, travels by air." Her words have the strength to call out the powers of the mysterious animal watching her from the woods, and the names of Ireland's cities and streets have the power to maintain the history of their country and heritage. In Translations we are presented with the story that comes from the name of a crossroads, and in Power there is a story behind the spring of Immortality. In both cases the importance of these stories lie in the power behind the names of a particular place. It is from the history of these names that Omishto and Owen are able to relate to their land and home. Both characters are aware of their culture, but they each represent a transformation from the old ways to the new. For example, Owen left home and returned six years later as an employee of Britain whose job was to rename the cities and landmarks of Ireland. Omishto contrasts her beliefs to those of Ama and states "I don't believe in magic...This is what separates me from Aunt Ama...she still swears by old time beliefs, she believes in all the taiga stories, that they are true, that they are real." Owen and Omishto represent an evolution from the new to old. Change is inevitable despite the positive or negative effects it has on a particular culture or country. It seems that in Power the culture and land of the Taiga people is in jeopardy, and in Translations it was the history, heritage, and language of Ireland.