Memoirs of Carwin the Biloquist (A Fragment)

"Memoirs of Carwin the Biloquist (A Fragment)" by Charles Brockden Brown is a tale from the 1800s about a restless young man named Carwin. The story begins with Carwin looking back at his life growing up on a farm, where his hunger for knowledge and learning put him at odds with his family's expectations as farmers. While his father wanted him to focus on hard work, Carwin was drawn to different ideas and ways of thinking. As the story builds, we learn of Carwin's unique talents for imitating and manipulating voices that he imagines using, setting the scene for Carwin's complex journey where he grapples with trickery, his own identity, and the expectations of society.