Language

Style of language

In the story “The Boogeyman” by Stephen King, the third-person narrator uses a formal language. There are no slang words or abbreviations, and the vocabulary is fairly advanced, for instance: “non-commitally”, or “sardonic brilliance”. This style of language used in this context suggests a high education and a scientific detachment consistent with a narrator who has access to Dr Harper’s thoughts.

The style of language used by Lester in his first-person account of the events is informal, using contractions and a lot of slang words. The language is also heavily descriptive, but with a high degree of emotional involvement. For instance:

Some back-country fuckhead with a stethoscope and a black bag full of Junior Mints and a sheepskin from some cow college. Crib death, he called it! You ever hear such a pile of yellow manure? The kid was three years old! 

There is another purpose served by the highly descriptive language, which is to create an emotional response in t...