Language

• modern American English, mainly informal language, given the fact that the narrator is a child
• however, the narrator (Scout Finch) tells the story from her point of view at a later point in time which is why she is able to use more complex or elevated language as well
• most of the time, the narrator first describes a specific scene and only afterwards, she returns to a somewhat more child-oriented narration
• mix of metaphors ("the ceiling danced with metallic light", p. 21) and candid statements ("[...] he had hookworms.", p. 21)
• due to their young age, Jem and Scout cannot fully comprehend the words that are uttered in their surroundings
  
  • often have to guess the meaning of some words
  • misuse them
  • comment on the language style of those around them (their father or Miss Maudie)
• functions of language:
  
  • language as revelation: Calpurnia shows her origin through her language when she is furious (it gets "erratic", p. 27)
  • language as concealment: Dill tells lies in order to help staying out of trouble
  • variations in language show divisions in social class: African-American dialect, rich whites use proper grammar in contrast to poor whites, educated people speak more elegant than town officials for instance
• Scout‘s tendency to summarize
  
  • the inaccuracy of those summaries shows that she does not fully understand what other adults tell her
  • provide insight into other characters
  • Scout mixes phrases that most likely came from the speaker with her own interpretation of their message
• style is warm and confiding
  
  • Scout shares secrets with the reader that she keeps from the adults
• different language styles
  
  • Southern vernacular shows that characters belong to the same community
  • Calpurnia: educated language when working at the Finch‘s house, adapts more vernacular dialect when visiting church
  • uneducated people are not able to shift speaking styles
• language hints at the attitude towards a specific issue (different terms for a coloured person show the racial attitude a person possesses)

Genre

• Southern Gothic
  
  • novel features comedic as well as dark elements (racism)
  • uses Southern vernacular
  • characters are described in an exaggerated way
  • references to the supernatural (Boo Radley as a living ghost)
• Bildungsroman (novel that follows moral and intellectual development of the protagonist)
  
  • Scout matures during the three years
  • she learns to differentiate between people and stereotypes
  • she finally tackles her fears
  • gains knowledge about how the society she lives in functions as a system