Style Mapping: McCarthy, Gaiman, and Cleave

Neil Gaiman, Chris Cleave and Cormac McCarthy all express their works with different diction. No one work is exactly the same as the next, each ranging from high to low and from musical too harsh. Gaiman’s Stardust expresses a familiar yet rather plain diction that is combined with informative and clear language. This diction can be seen in phrases such as, “The house of Wall are square and old, built of grey stone, with dark slate roofs and high chimney.” There is no particular sound quality to the work; it is neither harsh nor musical. On the other hand, McCarthy’s Blood Meridian holds a musical quality to the words, as well as descriptive and distinct linguistics. The usage of words such as “dark,” “bitter” and “steel” all direct the passage to these assets. Much like McCarthy’s work, Little Bee by Cleave displays contrasting yet powerful language and metaphorical cleverness in the use of words. Cleave articulates this form of language in phrases such as, “Most days I wish I was a British pound coin instead of an African girl.” All of these use diverse language, but are similar in the sense that they express the emotions and atmosphere surrounding the characters.