The writing style of The Knife of Never Letting Go does two things: It gives a realistic glimpse into the dialect of an agrarian society isolated on a colonial planet, while also exposing the reader to what it might be like to experience his concept of noise.
Language...
From the very first sentence of the text and throughout the book, the reader has to acclimate to the non-standard spellings, fragments, and stylized fonts littered on the page like garbage in a post-apocalyptic world. The sentence structure, especially the dialog of Todd and his dog, are overly simplistic and make it difficult to dive into the book, but once the reader becomes accustomed to the rhythm and pace of the book, Ness`s style serves to pull the reader into world of the novel.
From the very first sentence of the text and throughout the book, the reader has to acclimate to the non-standard spellings, fragments, and stylized fonts littered on the page like garbage in a post-apocalyptic world. The sentence structure, especially the dialog of Todd and his dog, are overly simplistic and make it difficult to dive into the book, but once the reader becomes accustomed to the rhythm and pace of the book, Ness`s style serves to pull the reader into world of the novel.
Many of the words are spelled phonetically such as, yer
for your, and stayshun for station. This choice to spell phonetically is again
a style choice that illustrates the borderline illiteracy of the narrator Todd.
Additionally, Todd uses country vernacular such as, ain`t, which is later in the story corrected by Viola, an educated peer. As Todd and Viola`s relationship grows stronger throughout the book, Todd becomes more cognizant of his language, often defending it when corrected or feeling self-conscious about his lack of formal education. He says there ain`t no time for proper schooling when growing up on a farm.
Noise...
Additionally, Todd uses country vernacular such as, ain`t, which is later in the story corrected by Viola, an educated peer. As Todd and Viola`s relationship grows stronger throughout the book, Todd becomes more cognizant of his language, often defending it when corrected or feeling self-conscious about his lack of formal education. He says there ain`t no time for proper schooling when growing up on a farm.
The author also uses profanity in a stylistic way: it is
the way the farm folk in Todd`s village speak. The profanity also expresses the
anger, frustration, and violence of the characters. Parents and educators
should be aware of this language and discuss the context of the language and
how it serves to illustrate the realities of the world the author has created.
Todd shows a conscience when using profanity and switches between saying
``eff`` and the real word. It might be troubling for some adults that children
are exposed to profane language in book marketed to teens.
Noise...
When juxtaposed with the wide open quite landscape of the planet, focuses the attention into the mind of the characters. It shatters the conception of the idyllic colonial country side by littering it with the chaotic subjectivity of the characters.
Setting...
The geography of the book is one of its strongest points. The setting in chapter one is in Todd`s home village where the noise is strong, filled with nastiness and violence. The reader gets bogged down by the noise of the first few chapters, making the book hard to initially get into. However, as the characters flee from Todd`s home village the reader is able to enjoy the journey as the author does a wonderful job of describing the setting. In the first few chapters the reader is informed that all the women of the planet have died off in a plague and that the men and their noise are the only inhabitants left. The noticeable silence of the women characters later in the book (when Todd discovers the history he has been taught about women was a lie) allow the reader to calm down, and in a real sense, view the natural world as it is, without the noise. So, remarkably, the noise drowns out the environment. Only later, when women are present, or to a lesser degree, the more disciplined men, are readers able to see the world as it is.
Genre...
There are also gruesome acts of violence and the
suggestion of rape, which again help outline the absence of morality on the
frontiers of civilization but of which parents should be aware.
The genre is dystopian but blends dark science fiction
with a touch of the western. It is a teenage version of Dances with Wolves only
profoundly more violent and cynical. The protagonist is boy on the cusp of
manhood in a world devoid of role models (with the exception of Ben and
Cillian). It is a pertinent story for young adult readers who might feel that
they have been lied to about the world they live in, their role in a
capitalist, imperialist society. It explores what it means to be a man in a
time when boys are given mixed messages about their masculinity in a culture
becoming more feminized. And most importantly it highlights the lack of privacy
in the modern western world. The noise is analogous to the noise of modern
technology in the form of cellphones, email, social media, and the need to
constantly be connected to these devices.
Why It Works...
Finally, Ness, in an interview said he hates all stories with talking dogs and as a challenge to himself put a dog in the story as Todd`s best friend. Hearing the noise not only of the men but of all the living creatures creates a kind of spectrum or hierarchy of consciousness. The reader is able to form a bond with the dog because he is so loyal and simple. Glimpses into the fear of the spackle during his violent encounter with Todd show the vulnerability of the native and break down stereotypes of the violent animalistic natives in colonial literature. Even the frogs, cattle, and birds open themselves up for the readers to view and serve to form a connection to the indigenous natural landscape.
Finally, Ness, in an interview said he hates all stories with talking dogs and as a challenge to himself put a dog in the story as Todd`s best friend. Hearing the noise not only of the men but of all the living creatures creates a kind of spectrum or hierarchy of consciousness. The reader is able to form a bond with the dog because he is so loyal and simple. Glimpses into the fear of the spackle during his violent encounter with Todd show the vulnerability of the native and break down stereotypes of the violent animalistic natives in colonial literature. Even the frogs, cattle, and birds open themselves up for the readers to view and serve to form a connection to the indigenous natural landscape.
Ness does a masterful job in crafting his story using
very deliberate stylistic choices to make the world of the novel more
accessible and alive. The violence and profanity though justifiable in the framework
of the world he has created, should be seriously considered for younger
readers.
Stylistic choices:
Certain choices made by Ness in his novel can serve as an interesting study into the impact and nature of certain styles of writing. Every step away from what can be considered a "normal" novel is a risk, something that can break the reader's immersion when they come across something unfamiliar.
Those interested in aspects of creative writing can discuss the following:
First Person Present Tense
Certain choices made by Ness in his novel can serve as an interesting study into the impact and nature of certain styles of writing. Every step away from what can be considered a "normal" novel is a risk, something that can break the reader's immersion when they come across something unfamiliar.
Those interested in aspects of creative writing can discuss the following:
First Person Present Tense
Instead of past tense, our protagonist is constantly speaking to us in present tense.
"We're walking across the wild fields southwest of town, those ones that slope down to the river and head on toward the swamp," (p.1).
"With his free hand, he punches me in the stomach." (p.61)
Out of all the books referenced in all the pages on this site, The Knife Of Never Letting Go is the only one to use this style. The impact on the story is fairly self-explanatory, it keeps us in the view of the narrator and general keeps the story focused in the present, the now. This can help increase immersion and get us an in-depth view at the speaker, but it is not without it's critics.
Phillip Pullman, author of The Golden Compass says this about present tense:"But if every sound you emit is a scream, a scream has no expressive value. What I dislike about the present-tense narrative is its limited range of expressiveness. I feel claustrophobic, always pressed up against the immediate."
Click For Pullman's Full Article on Present Tense from The Guardian
However there are a couple of other Y.A. Lit books written in present tense that have done well, most notably:
Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins,
Divergent by Veronica Roth
and Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
"We're walking across the wild fields southwest of town, those ones that slope down to the river and head on toward the swamp," (p.1).
"With his free hand, he punches me in the stomach." (p.61)
Out of all the books referenced in all the pages on this site, The Knife Of Never Letting Go is the only one to use this style. The impact on the story is fairly self-explanatory, it keeps us in the view of the narrator and general keeps the story focused in the present, the now. This can help increase immersion and get us an in-depth view at the speaker, but it is not without it's critics.
Phillip Pullman, author of The Golden Compass says this about present tense:"But if every sound you emit is a scream, a scream has no expressive value. What I dislike about the present-tense narrative is its limited range of expressiveness. I feel claustrophobic, always pressed up against the immediate."
Click For Pullman's Full Article on Present Tense from The Guardian
However there are a couple of other Y.A. Lit books written in present tense that have done well, most notably:
Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins,
Divergent by Veronica Roth
and Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
Breaking the Fourth Wall
Multiple times in the book Todd refers to the reader directly. When he says he feels like crying he often is telling us to "shut up" as if we're about to make fun of him.
"I say again but my voice actually catches, like it breaks up cuz I'm so sad (shut up).' p.70
He also refers to the fact that he doesn't actually say what is spelled out, in reference to swearing.
"WHAT THE EFF IS GOING ON?" I roar, but I don't say eff, now do I?" (p.40)
REWARD: More characterization! With these extra bits we know that Todd actually swears in that line but censors himself, which shows his youth. Telling us to shut up displays that he can feel insecure about his emotions, which ties into masculinity and youth as well.
POTENTIAL RISK: This is the equivalent of a movie character talking to the screen. Whenever the attention is not on something in the movie or text, but instead the reader, this can by nature pull the reader out of the book. If Todd isn't talking to someone in the story then we can be pulled out of the story.
"I say again but my voice actually catches, like it breaks up cuz I'm so sad (shut up).' p.70
He also refers to the fact that he doesn't actually say what is spelled out, in reference to swearing.
"WHAT THE EFF IS GOING ON?" I roar, but I don't say eff, now do I?" (p.40)
REWARD: More characterization! With these extra bits we know that Todd actually swears in that line but censors himself, which shows his youth. Telling us to shut up displays that he can feel insecure about his emotions, which ties into masculinity and youth as well.
POTENTIAL RISK: This is the equivalent of a movie character talking to the screen. Whenever the attention is not on something in the movie or text, but instead the reader, this can by nature pull the reader out of the book. If Todd isn't talking to someone in the story then we can be pulled out of the story.
Spelling Errors
Todd is illiterate and it is reflected in the first-hand account in the story. If Todd can't spell a word then it is spelled incorrectly in the text, such as:
attenshun,
reckernize,
cuz,
situashun.
REWARD: More characterization! The style of the novel gives us an in-depth tone of Todd's world. Illiteracy is a large aspect of the tone, and frequent misspellings and specific language use can set us in a world where such things are common.
POTENTIAL RISK: Some people can't stand a world with frequent misspellings. This novel could potentially/probably will offend language purists everywhere.
attenshun,
reckernize,
cuz,
situashun.
REWARD: More characterization! The style of the novel gives us an in-depth tone of Todd's world. Illiteracy is a large aspect of the tone, and frequent misspellings and specific language use can set us in a world where such things are common.
POTENTIAL RISK: Some people can't stand a world with frequent misspellings. This novel could potentially/probably will offend language purists everywhere.
