Language

Style of writing

The language of the short story “City Lovers” written by Nadine Gordimer is generally easy to follow, although certain sentences may be harder to understand due to their length and complexity: “into the big room, where, among his books and his papers, his files of scientific correspondence (and the cigar boxes of stamps from the envelopes), his racks of records, and his specimens of minerals and rocks, he lived alone” (p. 41, ll. 58-63). The language can also appear fragmented as comments and explanations are sometimes inserted in the middle of a sentence: “she had a little gap–a peasant’s gap, he thought of it–between her two front teeth when she smiled” (p. 42, ll. 16-18); “and sitting (even if only through the empty streets of quiet Sundays) beside him in his car, like a wife” (p. 44, ll. 14-18). This is done to draw attention to the line, bring clarifications, or strengthen the message of the text.

The choice of words indicates an informal style of writing. Certain informal expressions, such as “poked about” (p. 43, l. 2) or “drop them by” (p. 41, ll. 39-40), are used. Contractions su...