comment on style

The language and meaning of the novel differ vastly from one mini story to another, showing the author's complete range of talent. When narrating as the author Calvino, the language of the book is simplistic, easy going, and light, with a sense of humor. This changes, however, when the focus shifts from the main story line to the mini novels throughout. In some of these stories, such as in If On a Winter's Night a Traveler and Looks Down in the Gathering Shadow, the narrator is a criminal, or at least a shady character, and the language shifts to a darker, heavier tone. The language also changes to represent a higher danger, less comical ambiance. In other stories, such as Without Fear of Wind or Vertigo and In a Network of Lines that Intersect, the author becomes a person with a specific role, such as in the military or a financial officer. As such, the language becomes colder, symbolizing the character's shift from the emotional to the non-emotional, less involved. When writing as Silas Flannery, there is a distinctive use of more educated, yet seemingly depressed, language. These constant shifts of language allow the author to tell eleven stories simultaneously, presenting each as differently as though it were by a completely different author.