Comment on style language

Overall, The Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O. takes a satirical tone, interspersing more weighty thematic issues with small jokes, silly turns of phrase, and absurd juxtapositions. It uses language and diction to give each of its narrating characters a distinct voice, a technical point absolutely necessary to the believability of the novel’s conceit as a collection of documents. Mel’s narrative, for instance, self-consciously takes on a more archaic tone, a choice Mel makes in deference to her Victorian surroundings. When she is tempted to curse or use modern slang, she crosses out and humorously corrects herself: “Had anyone told me this would be how my spring were to unfold, I’d have [laughed my ass off at them] scoffed” (110). Mel uses a relatively elevated vocabulary and innovative shorthand techniques, such as parentheses to deliver short descriptions: “Frank Oda (radiant) and his wife, Rebecca (stoic), were also present” (76).