Alan Paton Style Analysis

Style Analysis

Authors often make an impact on the reader through imaginative story telling and bringing to life intriguing and compelling characters in their stories. Alan Paton not only succeeds in doing this, but further raises the bar by fully immersing his readers by making them not only learn about the characters, but actually instills a sense of caring about their well being. Throughout the novel Paton makes it clear just how much adversity and suffering his character, Stephen Kumalo, must have endured. He utilizes resounding words such as “doubt” and “suffering” in the passage chosen. The tone throughout the passage appears to have somber and melancholy quality to it. Kumalo is shown enduring constant tragedy all around him yet he continues to persevere. Paton’s unconventional techniques of dialogue is shown often in this passage. Paton’s dialogue never identifies who is speaking to encourage the reader to pay attention, also he does not use quotation marks like most authors and just bypasses it completely. Paton uses limited omniscient point of view to tell the story. It not only takes us into the stories but stirs emotion within the reader. He allows us to be put in Stephen’s shoes while still left wondering what is really going on. Character development is very apparent throughout the passage. Kumalo started out in the story as a pastor whose faith was strong in God, but at times had doubts, sometimes he would doubt his son for committing atrocities, yet in the end he found forgiveness for his family. Stephan is the epitome of overcoming adversity no matter what perils he came