Language

Style of language

The style of language in Monica Ali's novel Brick Lane is characterized by its vivid imagery and evocative language. 

The language is highly descriptive, immersing the reader in the sights, sounds, and smells of Nazneen’s world: 

The fridge hummed like a giant mosquito. In the distance, traffic growled. Nazneen did not turn on the light. Half a moon, gritty tonight, clung to the dark sky. The linoleum shocked her warm feet. She took a tub of yoghurt from the fridge and sprinkled it with sugar. (p. 62)

The use of sensory details allows readers to vividly imagine the settings and characters, making the narrative more engaging and lifelike.

Ali incorporates references to other literary works, historical events, and cultural elements in her narrative mostly through Chanu, who often quotes both Western and Bangladeshi literature and poetry. For example, he once quotes lines from William Shakespeare’s play The Tempest to Nazneen: “ ‘O rejoice / Beyond a common joy, and set it down / With gold on lasting pillars.’ ” (p. 207). He also teaches Shanaha and Bibi poems by Bengali poets such as Rabindranath Tagore and Kazi Nazrul Islam (p. 198). These intertextual references help to add realism to the story.

The novel also skillfully weaves in multilingual elements, incorporating words and phrases from Bengali and other languages, such as “purdah” (p. 21) or “riba” (p. 366). This use of multilingualism reflects the diverse and multicultural setting of the story, enriching the narrative. The dialogue in the novel is authentic and reflective of the characters' backgrounds and personalities. For example, ...