In his memoir, Eggers has done a commendable job through his mastery of literary techniques, mainly through effective use of voice and style. According to Hart, it is challenging to distinguish between voice and style. However, it is inappropriate to use the terms interchangeably since, in writing, voice refers to the writer’s personality as it is presented on the page. On the other hand, style is the outermost expression of the personality. Therefore, it can be asserted that fashion is the mechanical facets of writing that might encompass the specific needs of a theme. In contrast, voice entails the unique worldview and the choice of words that the author uses. This paper presents a detailed analysis of how Eggers uses voice and style, as discussed by Hart.
Eggers has depicted a unique stream of consciousness writing style in his memoir titled, “The Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius.” The author has a creative style that employs satire, incorporating a hyperbolic title and a profoundly moving, hilarious, and angry tone. Generally, the style and voice in the narrative can be characterized as vibrant and very inspiring. Through his master of literary writing, he has been able to use voice and style in a manner that captivates the readers, making them feel part of his story and life from the beginning to the end. His style is characterized by immense detail. He perfectly paints the actual image of events and characters in the minds of his audience. His style is unique since, unlike many writers, he is straightforward and gets his audience’s attention by presenting everything and not using any form of suspense.
Moreover, his style is one that appeals to nearly everyone since he uses examples that are well relatable in life. For instance, in the unspoken magic of the parental disappearance segment, he notes that “it is every child’s and teen’s dream-sometimes born of bitterness, often self-pity. Sometimes one wants attention, a sort of revenge.” This is something that nearly everybody experiences in life, if not one’s many times.
Eggers begins the memoir with imagery of death and existence. He starts the narrative with the unfortunate death of his parents. The voice used showcases a strong desire for life, and that is why he is depicted as someone who is struggling to make meaning of his existence. The author’s straightforwardness can be evident in his use of satire; he does not seem to be reluctant to use humor even when he is dealing with emotional subjects. For instance, during his father’s burial, he opts out of the funeral to have sex. Also, on the copyright page, he incorporates his sexual orientation and depicts himself as someone who is complex and, at the same time, thrilling.
In most parts of the book, his voice can be characterized as excited and chirpy, which shows his desire to be merry. His voice desires merry, which can be evident through the extensive sarcasm and use of hyperbole. For instance, when he sees a group of middle-aged women at the baseball game, he wonders, “Am I them?” to showcase that he only cares for himself. Summing up, Eggers has effectively used varied literary techniques to bring about a unique style of writing.
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