To Kill a Mockingbird

by Harper Lee

To Kill a Mockingbird: Style 1 key example

Chapter 2
Explanation and Analysis:

Scout, the narrator, is an avid reader, and she narrates like one. Harper Lee achieves this effect stylistically through the frequent use of figurative speech and complex vocabulary. Scout's more elevated manner of speaking and writing contrasts with the various dialects used around her.

Another note: Scout will often use words in contexts that contradict their typical usage, at times to ironic effect. This is a stylistic choice often made to draw out the idiosyncrasies of characters or situations. For instance:

I contented myself with asking Jem if he’d lost his mind.