Style: written elements

There are a number of factors that influence style in written texts. It is important to see how they fit together to create an overall style.

Grammatical person

It is important to clarify the distinction that is made between first, second and third person.

A text is written in first person when the narrator uses 'I' and is talking about themself. For example:

I went to the football on Saturday to watch my team play the Dragons.

Example One

Or

We went to the football on Saturday to watch our team play the Dragons.

Example Two

Using first person makes a text personal. The audience is positioned so there is a direct link with the narrator. You will often see a first person point of view in autobiographies, monologues, letters, emails and novels where the composer is writing from the narrator's perspective.

A text is written in second person when the narrator is talking about you. For example:

You went to the football on Saturday to watch your team play the Dragons.

Example Three

Second person is less common than first and third person but you will often hear second person in conversations. A famous example of a second person narrative is the 'Choose your own Adventure' series of books.

A text is written in third personwhen the composer is using a narrator who is discussing a person who is neither the audience nor the narrator. Texts written in third person will use proper nouns and pronouns to refer to characters. For example:

The Johnsons went to the football on Saturday to watch their team play the Dragons.

Example Four

Or

Sally went to the football on Saturday to watch her team play the Dragons.

Example Five

Texts written in third person tend to be less personal. For this reason, generally, if you are composing a formal piece of writing it is essential that you use third person. Third person is often used in formal letters, reports, discussions and newspaper reports.

Point of view
Not all composers are their narrators. Morris Gleitzman, for example, often writes in first person from the perspective of a child or teenager. Because he is not that child or teenager who is the narrator in his novels, he is using a different point of view. Consider the following examples:

It was a warm Sunday afternoon and Sophia and her mother had gone to the supermarket to do the week's grocery shopping. Out of the corner of her eye Sophia spied the confectionery aisle. All of a sudden she was jumping about excitedly and tugging on her tired mother's skirt, "Mummy can I have a chocolate? Mummy can I have a chocolate?"

Example Six

Example six is in third person. Its point of view is neutral. If we were to rewrite the passage from Sophia's point of view how would the style of the passage change?

Mummy had taken me shopping. It was a Sunday. I wanted to go to the park but Mummy dragged me to the shop. Then I saw it! So many colours! I love chocolate! I pleaded, "Mummy can I have a chocolate? Mummy can I have a chocolate?"

Example Seven

More has changed than just the person who is speaking. The composer in this instance has made the narrator Sophia and as such has needed to change their style to suit that. Notice that the sentences are shorter; the repeated referrals to 'Mummy' instead of Mother and the exclamation marks show her excitement. While the tone of Example Six is quite neutral, the tone of Example Seven is bright and cheerful - the exclamation marks in particular demonstrate this.

In order to rewrite Example Six from the Mother's perspective there are a number of aspects that need to change stylistically. Perhaps the Mother could use longer sentences and more complicated words. What do you think the tone of the mother would be - particularly in light of the fact that she is described with the adjective 'tired'? Let's look at how it might work:

I couldn't believe that it was Sunday again - I'd be at work the next day and, as usual, I hadn't had a single moment to myself, thanks to that little terror Sophia. Even in the supermarket she was nagging me. Apparently she would rather have been at the park. Who wouldn't? Suddenly I felt her little fingers grip on to my skirt, and my heart sank - I thought to myself "I don't know how much more of this I can handle." And then 'it' began. A nagging, torturous squeal, "Mummy can I have some chocolate? Mummy can I have some chocolate?"

Example eight

Firstly, the content is different. Notice that the sentences are longer and more complicated. Sophia's mother has used sarcasm, "Apparently she would rather have been at the park." Her passage is far more descriptive than Sophia's - in particular she uses adjectives. These all add up to style. How would you describe the tone? How has this been achieved?

The tone is sarcastic and resigned. The composer conveys this tone through the use of sarcasm such as 'apparently she would rather have been in the park' and the rhetorical question 'Who wouldn't?' A tone of resignation has been achieved through the implicit references to the repeating nature of the events, 'again', 'then 'it' began', 'as usual'. The Mother is clearly resigned as the composer describes her heart as sinking. Rather than becoming angry, she is defeated, sad and tortured.

Refer to the 'Point of view activity' to practise using point of view.