Language

Style of writing

The language used in the short story “Zolo” by S. Bhattacharya-Woodward is mainly informal and reflects the main characters’ lower-class backgrounds. When he considers the possibility of falling off the roof, Zolo thinks about what people would say and uses slang: “They can all go fuck themselves” (p. 1, l. 7). Slang not only characterizes Zolo’s thought process, but also his mother’s vocabulary: “ 'It was you, wasn't it? You fucking grassed,' his mum's eyes bulged afterwards.” (p. 3, ll. 98-99). The language of those close to him – including his mother – affects Zolo, who adopts their way of speaking.

When it comes to the choice of words, the narrative provides a vivid description of the building where Zolo lives. For example, the “broken bottles, fast food boxes and the small metal canisters emptied of laughing gas” (p. 1, ll. 33-34), and the “wafting smells of urine mixed with fried chicken” (p. 1, ll. 35-36) help readers visualize the poor neighborhood with social...