The extract from the opening chapter of "To Kill a Mockingbird", by Harper Lee is extremely descriptive which helped the novel receive its award of gratification. In order to create this descriptive language, Harper Lee used different distinctive features of language including colloquial and formal language and simile. These features of language all contributed in creating the descriptive passage.
First of all, the use of colloquial language in this passage is large and this helps in creating a light-hearted conversation with the reader. Informal and colloquial language is very conversational and therefore, easy to understand and expresses ideas much easier. This may help in creating a clearer meaning for the viewers since formal language may be more difficult for readers to understand. The features which distinguish this colloquial language from the passage include simile, abbreviations and hyphens. Examples of these features taken from the passage include: "angle and bones", "-Miss Rachel's rat terrier was expecting-", "I couldn't behave-, ".her hand was wide as a bed slat and twice as hard." and ".I wasn't ready to come." These quotes taken from the "To Kill a Mockingbird" novel express the informal language which is directed to the responder.
On the other hand, however, formal language has also been used in the passage. Formal language may be effective in describing certain situations. The main example of formal language as quoted from the extract includes: " Mrs. Henry Lafayette Dubose's house two doors to the north of us, and the Radley Place three doors to the south- By describing different directions of houses, Harper Lee used compass bearings such as south and north which is formal. The reason why a small portion of formal language was used in the article is to combine it with colloquial language, and the reason for this is to make the formal language stand out from the informal language.
