Styles of Two Great American Writers.
A writer's style distinguishes him from other writers. The style a writer uses to write a story clearly indicates the tone of a story,vital for the reader to understand the story. The style of a writer is made up of different traits and characteristics used to write the story. These traits and characteristics include and are not limited to symbolism, characterization, and other elements. When evaluating a literature piece for style one should analyze the following five elements: diction, images, details, language, and sentence structure. Two well-known American writers with completely different styles are Ernest Hemingway and William Faulkner. Hemingway and Faulkner's similarities and differences in style become apparent when comparing and contrasting two of their famous short stories, "A Clean, Well-Lighted Place- by Ernest Hemingway and "Barn Burning- by William Faulkner.
Diction involve word choices a writer makes for his story. These word choices may be used to achieve an overall feeling from a reader toward a story. Diction also reflects the writer's attitude toward his subject.
Ernest Hemingway's choice of diction in "A Clean, Well-Lighted Place- are simple words that directly mean what they stand for. Hemingway uses simple, less complex words to describe both characters and setting. Examples of diction usage for setting are found in the title, "A Clean, Well-Lighted Place- (Hemingway 141) and "pleasant- (Hemingway 143). The two waiters describe the customer as a "clean old man.a good client- (Hemingway 141). Hemingway's choice of diction was blunt and to the point. The diction usage does not let the reader get funny ideas or leeway to think anything other than what Hemingway says. This element of Hemingway's style reflects when the young waiter states the old man is "drunk- (Hemingway 141). The young waiter does not suggest he was tipsy or that he seemed intoxicated, he simply meant he was drunk.
