“When we see a natural style, we are astonished and delighted; for we expected to see an author, and we find a man.” (Blaise Pascal). Writing style is the way a text is written to portray the author’s message to the audience. The Reader portrays the struggle of post Third Reich generations coming to terms with Nazi war crimes, by effectively using a unique writing style. Bernard Schlink uses first-person point-of-view, clear and descriptive language, short chapters, metaphors and various tones.
The Reader is written in the first-person point of view, Schlink's style is sparse and his language is simple. Michael Berg, the protagonist, is also the narrator of the book. In the final chapter Michael Berg declares to be the author of the autobiographical text as proven in the following passage.
“Soon after her death, I decided to write the story of me and Hanna, since then I’ve done it many times in my head, each time a little differently, each time with new images, and new strands of action and thought.” (Schlink 216)
The use of first person as a fictional autobiography gives the story a realistic tone. Michael Berg is a sympathetic character even though he is not, in numerous ways, a particularly likable character to the readers and his true love Hanna Schmitz. Michael Berg is an inward looking, cold, and reserved character. Nonetheless, the way The Reader is put together allows Michael to present himself in a favorable position to the readers. The character of Hanna Schmitz is also of interest since she is an illiterate Nazi war criminal, and she is constructed to be somewhat sympathetic, since access to her is controlled entirely from Michael's viewpoint.
Through analyzing part one of the reader it is imperative that...
... middle of paper ...
...n that this story is merely fiction is almost heart shattering. “Soon after her death, I decided to write the story of me and Hanna. Since then I’ve done it many times in my head, each time a little differently, each time with new images, and new strands of action and thought.” (216) The characters that once seemed so real are just figments of the author’s imagination.
The author uses a first person writing style to give the audience a character's perspective, which better influences how the novel is perceived by the audience. Schlink's writing style reflects the concept of the novel by using various tones to express the emotions of the characters and to illustrate the novel from Michael Berg's perspective. Benhard Schlink's writing style was an effective way to capture the audience because he used clear language and the chapters were short, but very descriptive.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how bernard schlink uses first-person point-of-view, clear and descriptive language, short chapters, metaphors and various tones to portray 's message to the audience.
- Analyzes how schlink's style is sparse and his language is simple. michael berg, the protagonist, is also the narrator of the book.
- Narrates how they've written the story of them and hanna many times in their head, each time with new images, and new strands of action and thought.
- Analyzes how the use of first-person as a fictional autobiography gives the story realistic tone. michael berg is sympathetic even though he is not likable to the readers and his true love hanna schmitz.
- Analyzes how exhibits various tones to symbolize messages within the text, such as the age difference between michael and hanna.
- Analyzes how bernhard schlink uses his writing style to capture the response to the war through body language, facial expressions, the setting in which the events take place, and the portrayal of characters from before and after the nazi war.
- Analyzes how bernhard schlink writes of the darkness, the burning flames, and the women desperately seeking a way to survive.
- Analyzes how bernard schlink's novel, the reader, utilizes many different writing styles to get through to the reader.
- Analyzes how bernhard schlink uses short chapters in his novel, the reader, to allow the audience to follow easily. each stage of michael's life was affected by hanna and allowed his readers to connect with michael.
- Analyzes how benhard schlink's writing style reflects the concept of the novel by using various tones to express the emotions of characters.
Related
- analytical
- opinion
- Comparisonanalytical essayIn The Reader, Michael’s life is centered on Hanna and everything about her, which causes him to be unhappy at the end. Michael was fifteen when he had his first sexual encounter with her and after that incident he fell in love. Ever since that day, he was constantly thinking about her, making arrangements to see her and doing ‘boy friendly’ things such as, cooking and planning dinners. His life revolved around her and when she left him, he was devastated and could not understand why she left so abruptly. After a while, Michael tries to move on, yet Hanna was still in his mind. When Michael comes across Hanna at the trial, he would say negative things like “…I felt nothing. Nothing at all” (95), but he would visit places that remind him about Hanna and talk to his father and judge to help her. He tells the readers one thing, but contradicts himself by his actions. Michael was unable to settle with another woman because he was looking for another Hanna. The betrayal he feels by Han...
In this essay, the author
- Compares the characters of kazuo ishiguro's the remains of the day and bernhard schlinks' the reader. stevens allows his career to dictate his personal life, while michael falls in love with a woman.
- Analyzes how michael's life is centered on hanna and everything about her, which causes him to be unhappy at the end.
- Analyzes how michael is madly in love with hanna, but his love for her has made him a passive character.
- Analyzes how michael escapes confrontation with hanna in a cowardly way. he is always looking for ways out and can't really come to terms with confrontation.
- Analyzes how michael's decisions were based on hanna or around her, but he was capable of making choices for his life, just like a normal human being.
- Analyzes how stevens and miss. kenton in "the remains of the days" show love interest towards each other, but they don't end up together because he cannot come to terms expressing his feelings.
- Analyzes how stevens believes his approach to arguments with miss. kenton is professional and dignified; however, he is not entirely right and does not give up like michael.
- Analyzes how stevens is socially awkward when it comes to confrontation, but he responds by downplaying it. he does not run away or escape it in a cowardly way like michael.
- Analyzes how stevens' indecisiveness has greatly affected his life. he allows his career dictate his choices.
- Analyzes how the protagonists in the respected novels deal with life experiences differently. michael in the reader falls in love with hanna and his life revolves around her.
1496 wordsRead More - Analysis Of The Book Thiefanalytical essayMarkus Zusak’s way of writing is slightly informal. He does not want to keep the reader an observer, rather he wants them to become involved. He is extremely descriptive as he wants the exact image portrayed in his head to be seen. He uses interesting language as a tool for this. He becomes involved with his characters’ lives and personalises things like books and words to show their importance in both the novel and in the actual world. He is factual to a point. He still lets his imagination stray once in a while. He sows most of this in his characters’ dreams or their romanticised recollections of the past.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how liesel is the main protagonist and the young girl we meet at the age of ten. her mother gives her up for adoption after her brother does not survive the journey.
- Analyzes how liesel's foster father works as a painter but also plays the piano accordion to make extra money. he was taught by erik vandenberg, who saved his life during the first world war.
- Describes liesel's foster mother as sharp-tongued, rough, and vulgar, but she loves her very much. she does the washing and ironing for five wealthier households in molching.
- Describes rudy as a trouble maker, best friend, and the boy who loved her best. he has lemon blond hair and an obsessive respect for the african-american athlete jesse owens.
- Describes max as a jewish fist-fighter who, with the help of his best friend, finds his way to the hubermann's and befriends liesel. he is described as having hair like feathers when clean.
- Analyzes how death is our narrator. he is sympathetic toward people and despises the suffering that occurs during war.
- Analyzes how the location and time period had to coincide and begin in such a way that it didn't break the reader's concentration or confuse them.
- Explains that had to pay attention to everything. factual evidence was necessary to keep the book realistic.
- Analyzes markus zusak's informal writing style. he uses interesting language as a tool for this and personalises things like books and words to show their importance in both the novel and the actual world.
- Introduces liesel meminger, the infamous thief herself, through the chaos of the second world war.
- Analyzes how books symbolize learning, educating oneself, and the nazi germany flag, which represents one of the ugliest times in history.
- Analyzes how death is the starting point for several domino effect situations in the book. without the death of the mayor's son, liesel would never have had a library to enjoy.
1843 wordsRead More - Flannery O Connor's Essay On Her Own Workanalytical essayIn Flannery O’Connor’s fascinating essay “On Her Own Work,” she claims that what makes a story work is “probably some action, some gesture of a character that is unlike any other in the story, one which indicates where the real heart of the story lies. That would be the gesture which was both totally right and unexpected... a gesture that somehow made contact with mystery.”
In this essay, the author
- Explains that flannery o'connor believed that a "grand gesture" is what makes stories work.
- Analyzes flannery o'connor's essay, "on her own work," where she claims that what makes a story work is "probably some action, some gesture" that indicates where the real heart of the story lies.
- Analyzes how o'connor's "grand gesture" could be called the climax of a story, but it may not always be so; it is the action that allows the story to stand on its own.
- Analyzes how o'connor uses this trope in her writing. the grand gesture is when julian's mother offers a penny to the young black boy.
- Analyzes how julian's mother would not have begun contemplating, nor her blood pressure would have been raised, and the two wouldn't be in such a dire situation.
- Analyzes how o'connor's "a good man is hard to find" is an easier story to find the gesture in, as she points it out directly in her essays.
- Analyzes how the violence of the story is not purposeless, but it allows the reader a deeper insight into the life of the misfit.
- Explains that flannery o'connor's short stories are not the only examples of literature that include a grand gesture in the story. scott f. fitzgerald’s novel the great gatsby is an example.
- Explains that the grand gesture is one of the most important components in a story, and is what lets the story reach its full potential.
835 wordsRead More - The Style of the Essayopinion essayPrior to reading Strunk and White’s The Elements of Style and William’s Style, I was under the assumption that everyone had their own writing style. Once I had read the texts and listened to the classroom discussions I realized that I didn’t really know what style was when it came to writing. We as writers must all follow rules and guidelines for writing in order for the reader to understand what we are trying to get across. Without these rules and guidelines we probably wouldn’t be able to understand what the author is trying to express. I think that the word “style” has been thrown around so much that I never really understood its true meaning.
In this essay, the author
- Opines that writers must follow rules and guidelines for writing in order for the reader to understand what is trying to express.
- Compares the backgrounds of william strunk jr. and e.b. white, who wrote the elements of style.
- Analyzes how strunk and white's elements of style focus more on rules of accuracy, brevity, and clarity. they offer few good and bad examples of these rules and write more for an educated white anglo-saxon male.
- Opines that williams explains the "styles" of writing more in depth than strunk and white. the drill and practice method in attempts to teach these rules really gave them a dislike for writing.
- Opines that without knowledge of the rules we can't move on to comprehension and into the higher levels of learning and in this case clear and direct style. stunk and white's the elements of style was built upon itself by e.b.
- Explains the'velcro theory of knowledge', which states that the more old knowledge we have about a subject, the better we can retain new knowledge.
- Analyzes how stunk and white's the elements of style and william’s style: toward clarity and grace are great books.
1064 wordsRead More - Having Christopher narrating the book in first person is important because it is easier for the reader to understand his written account of the murder of Mr. and Mrs. Sheers dog (Wellington); A step by step investigation is projected and shown to the reader when narrated in first person.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how the curious incident of the dog in the night time was narrated in first person by christopher boone. communication, social interactions, relationships and christopher's autism spectrum disorder were some areas expressed.
- Analyzes how christopher's communications were precise, which let the reader understand the text in more depth, but if the book were written in third person, readers would not have understood the social interactions projected.
- Explains that seven things were confiscated out of christopher's pocket as he made his way into prison.
- Analyzes how christopher and his father had a great relationship, one of which was when father bailed christopher out of jail.
- Narrates how christopher received the news that his mother had died from a heart attack. christopher questioned his father about an aneurysm.
- Explains that if the book was narrated in third person the reader would not receive as much depth and information that you would in a first-person narration.
- Explains that mother left father because she couldn't handle how things were going within the household. father told christopher that his mother had died of an illness, which made christopher suspicious. he covered mother's death up as he did not think she was good enough for christopher.
- Narrates how mother sent letters to christopher's house in swindon explaining her departure, her location, and how she is going. christopher read the letters and went to london to find his mother.
- Opines that having the book written in the first person allows the audience to have a more understanding.
- Explains that christopher narrating the book in first person is important because it is easier for the reader to understand his written account of the murder of mr. and mrs.
- Analyzes how wants to project christopher's autism spectrum disorder condition to the reader by narrating the book in third-person.
648 wordsRead More - Both The Elements of Style by Strunk and White and Style Toward Clarity and Grace by Williams emphasize the importance of ‘style’ in writing. Though they agree style is important, their approach and views of style differ. Stunk and White’s book was published in 1912 and was written for the old-fashioned ivy leaguers. This can be expressed by their use of the pronoun ‘he’. According to Strunk and White ‘he’ should always be used. Williams’ book was published in 1981 and in more culturally written. Williams states that a writer can use either ‘he’ or ‘she’; whichever is socially acceptable. He also tells the writer to use such words as police officer instead of policeman and mail carrier instead of mailman.
In this essay, the author
- Compares the elements of style by strunk and white and style toward clarity and grace by williams. both agree style is important, but their approach and views of style differ.
- Analyzes how strunk and white feel that to be a good writer one must adhere to the rules they state in their book.
- Analyzes how williams explains how to write in a constructive voice, how the flow of information affects the reader, and what words to use when readers have prior knowledge of the subject.
- Explains that both strunk and white and williams agreed on not to write in the negative. when you combine negatives with passives and nominalizations, your writing can become opaque.
- Concludes that writing style is an important aspect of many jobs, especially teaching. both of these books would be helpful for college students writing term papers and essays.
- Analyzes the key elements learned from strunk and white's first chapter, which is dedicated to 'elementary rules of usage'.
- Opines that williams' book gave clearer examples of correct grammatical forms of words and sentences, but some of the examples he gave were too long.
- Opines that both books were useful with grammar and paragraph structure. they will hang on to them for future writing classes as well as in their future teaching career.
1051 wordsRead More - The Ordinary Devoted Mother Analysisanalytical essayAlison Bechdel isn’t a normal author. She uses graphics, and wordplay to tell a very engaging, and interesting story. One of these stories titled “The Ordinary Devoted Mother”, Bechdel tells the story of her trying to write a memoir about her mom. One of the major themes in this story is reading, and writing. Bechdel explores what writing is, how it is important, and how she perceives writing herself.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how alison bechdel uses graphics and wordplay to tell an engaging, and interesting story. she explores what writing is, how it is important and how she perceives writing herself.
- Analyzes how bechdel is having an incredibly hard time trying to come up with the words to say. she studies virginia woolf and sylvia plath's writing techniques to improve her own.
- Analyzes how bechdel investigates her own soul in order to bring the truth out in her writing. she feels writing is a reflection of her inner thoughts.
- Analyzes how bechdel's writing is like therapy in a way. therapy unlocks her brain, and allows her to further investigate her issues.
- Analyzes how bechdel finds reading as important as writing and emphasizes the importance of reading and writing.
- Opines that bechdel understands the creative process of writing more than other authors. she explains how difficult it is to write a complicated story.
- Opines that bechdel is an amazing author who understands writing and reading well. she can use her words to express opinions, emotions, and to tell a story.
927 wordsRead More - Patterns in Columns by Carl Zimmeranalytical essayThe difference between a great piece of writing and an average one can be voice. Voice in writing is just like how identification can be made by accents and pitches while speaking. The columnist Carl Zimmer consistently uses patterns of argument structure, closes, and shifts in point of view in order to have a personal voice in his writing.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how carl zimmer uses patterns of argument structure, closes, and shifts in point of view to have a personal voice in his writing.
- Analyzes zimmer's distinct way of presenting the counterclaim for arguments he makes.
- Analyzes how zimmer's structure of his counterclaims adds value to his method of professionalism by being short, sweet, and to the point.
- Analyzes how zimmer has a distinct ending for almost all articles he writes. he likes to end on quotes to force the reader to have an emotional response.
- Analyzes how carl zimmer uses quotes to end his columns and evoke emotional responses from his readers.
- Analyzes how zimmer varies his point of view in his columns to establish connections to the topics. he adds a possessive feeling towards earth and strength to his writing.
- Analyzes how zimmer uses "we" to exhibit unity amongst his readers and assert pathos while maintaining a professional atmosphere in the column.
- Analyzes how carl zimmer establishes a professional voice in his columns through argument structure, endings, and changing points of view.
690 wordsRead More - Anton King: On Writing By Stephan Kinganalytical essayStephan King: On Writing. Stephan King wrote the book conveying his thoughts on what he believes
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how stephan king, a world-famous author, has written fifty novels in his life. he states the events that turned him into the writer he is today.
- Analyzes king's thesis that good writers must master the fundamentals of writing and fill the third level of their toolbox with the right instruments.
- Analyzes how king's audience connects directly to the two theses mentioned in the previous paragraph.
- Concludes that king's intended audience is the people who have not truly stepped foot into writing.
- Analyzes how the subject of stephen king: on writing is related to the purpose because the book is king's ideas on turning people into better writers.
- Analyzes king's quote, "now comes the big question: what are you going to write about? and the equally big answer: anything you damn well want. as long as you tell the truth."
- Analyzes how king uses rhetorical devices to drive home his ideas on how to become a great writer.
- Analyzes how king compares the story to a fossil through similes. he states that stories are buried in the ground like fossils, and the writer must be just as delicate when writing.
- Analyzes how king utilizes the first person point of view throughout the novel, which creates a personal connection between the writer and reader.
1710 wordsRead More - Hills Like White Elephants by Ernest Hemingwayanalytical essaySince the story was written in the third person objective, it is easier for the reader to remain objective while analyzing the story. If we one were to hear the story from on of the character’s point of view, the retelling of the story would be clouded with various em...
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how hemingway felt the need to be straightforward and direct stylistically, a trait that is said to have carried over from his work in journalism.
- Analyzes how the setting of the story carries great significance for various reasons. the narrator states that the couple is in spain, a highly catholic country at the time.
- Analyzes how the retelling of the story would be clouded with emotions and thoughts that would affect the perception of conversation.
- Analyzes how hemingway used the third person viewpoint to portray some of his themes, one of which being the issue of communication. the dialogue demonstrates how two people can have discussion on a topic without talking directly on the subject.
- Explains that the third person objective narrative is necessary for the characterization of the man and woman individually. jig relies heavily on the satisfaction of her significant other.
- Analyzes how the voice used in the story contributes to hemingway's style in this specific work. had this story been written in first person, the characters would potentially "project" their feelings onto the reader.
- Analyzes how an objective and outside voice told the story with an incredible amount of detail. the narrator included parts of the conversation that could initially be mistaken as "small talk" or "chit-chat."
- Analyzes how the point of view added detail to the story, but also made it precise and concise. the end of the passage ends abruptly leaving the reader with so many questions.
- Opines that the third person objective point of view makes it easier for the reader to analyze and fully understand what is going on in the story.
- Analyzes how hemingway packed plenty of theme, symbolism, and overall meaning into this short story, but the story would not have been nearly as meaningful had it been written from another point of view.
963 wordsRead More