Language

Style of writing

The author uses contractions both in the dialogue and the narration, which helps the narrator convey the main character’s voice and keep a generally informal tone throughout the story: “ ‘I’ll be driving past the front gates, so jump in.’ Kelley didn’t hesitate, because he met all of her most stringent requirements” (ll. 37-38).

A shortened version of the word “Vietnam”, “‘Nam” is used in the dialogue by John (l. 99) to give the dialogue authenticity, as this was a popular way of referring to Vietnam in the context of the Vietnam War. John also uses the word “Trib” to refer to the Herald Tribune (l. 104), once again keeping the tone informal.

The author also uses italics to emphasise that Kelley quotes The Grapes of Wrath and Of Mice and Men (ll. 67-72).

Imagery and metaphors

Imagery is created in connection with the characters and the setting. For example, the narrator describes the drivers whom Kelley refuses, to convey the fact that she respects her own rules of only accepting rides from certain drivers. Moreover, the sense of sound is explored in this description to indicate why riding with them in the car might be unpleasant or dangerous:

The first car to slow down had two young fellows in it, and if that wasn’t warning enough, the empty beer cans on the back se...