Language

Style of writing

The language used by Angie Thomas in the excerpt from the novel Concrete Rose reflects the characters’ African-American background. 

One of the first elements that stands out is the characters’ use of non-standard grammar, which reflects their sociolect, like in the following example: “The way Pops shrink, I hit him hard. Good. I grab Ma's key and head for the door. Ma call after me, but I don't stop till I'm at the car”. 

The characters also use slang, mostly to highlight their negative state of mind. For example, when the ...