comment on style / language

Since the novel is set during the 1930s in Key West, Florida, many of the terms and language used are indicative of the time and place in which the characters live. Books, magazines, movie stars, and music all play a prominent role in defining the characters as well as provide a context for the perceptions and beliefs of the characters. For example, Turtle believes that the ideal image of a young girl is Shirley Temple or Little Orphan Annie. She constantly refers back to them.