When we think about this memorable story about the meeting of
two mismatched individuals and how this meeting changes the life of one of them forever, one
element that is absolutely clear is the simplicity of style which Langston Hughes uses to narrate
the tale. Consider the fact that much of the story is written in simple dialogue, using
accessible vocabulary and theme and also it is based on a familiar genre. Thus Langston Hughes
makes no effort to use a sophisticated level of vocabulary - the story is written in a very
down-to-earth style that reflects the rich earthiness of the setting and of both the characters.
Consider the following quote:
But the boy's weight and the weight of the purse combined
caused him to lose his balance. Instead of taking off full blast as he had hoped, the boy fell on
his back on the sidewalk and his legs flew up. The large woman simply turned around and kicked
him right square in his blue-jeaned sitter. Then she reached down, picked the boy up by his shirt
front, and shook him until his teeth
rattled.
Notice the simplicity of
phrasing and the vocabulary, combined with some idioms like "full blast" and "in his blue-jeaned
sitter." This is a story that we are meant to understand and whose style reflects the simplicity
of the theme and the characters involved.
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