It's the understanding that he can make things happen in the world; he can defend himself against his father's punishment through the use of words.

自己的价值;,凭借唇齿,他可以与父亲周旋。

耶鲁公开课 - 1945年后的美国小说课程节选

It's as if Richard takes those words, and he makes them his own, takes them from his father and gains a different kind of strength from them, a strength he can then use to get back at his father.

理查按父亲说的做了，就如同把父亲说的，复制于他的大脑中一样,似乎从中获得了一种，不同寻常的报复方式。

耶鲁公开课 - 1945年后的美国小说课程节选