comment on style / language

The language in Difficult Women is generally colloquial and informal. Although Roxane Gay’s phenomenal use of emotional imagery is presented with eloquent detail, the general language is accessible to the reader. For instance, many of the characters in the short stories curse extravagantly – this encourages a sense of relatability to the characters and is appropriate in illustrating the characters with a raw sincerity. By obstructing generally held stereotypes of women being reticent and polite, this style of writing also demonstrates a natural authenticity of “imperfection” in the female characters that adds complexity to their personalities. Similarly, sex scenes throughout the novel are illustrated with a grimy realism and explicit detail; through her coarse language, Roxane Gay opens a discourse for women to feel more comfortable discussing matters of sexuality.