The Way They Talk

"'You don't mess with churches." (p. 113)

This is one of many forms of diction and colloquialism used throughout this novel. O'Brien also used curse words frequently, as a form of speech for soldiers. When not speaking of soldier, O'Brien would drop these words. I find it interesting how the diction gives the characters a defined personality. Although curse words may be extreme, perhaps for soldiers they were the least of their worries, or maybe they were just brought up differently. I don't quite understand why these words are so necessary to the fabric of the story. I also believe that use of words such as "mess" show the down-to-earth, normal personality that can easily be understood by all. Without the wording, the characters would be more difficult to relate with and the story might lose its tone. If the story were written in proper English, I doubt that many would read it.