Okay, well maybe sarcasm isn’t for the sensitive or faint of heart or whatever, but when it comes to writing it can come in handy when trying to give a narrative some pizzazz. Not only that, but it also brings the narrator or the main character out of the second dimension and into the third with more realistic and relatable (not to mention interesting and entertaining) thoughts. Granted, it is significantly easier to use a sarcastic tone when writing in first person, especially in a diary, but when writing in third person limited about yourself, you could at least provide the author was something humorous thoughts you had.
The first time I actually appreciated the writer of this book was 83 pages in when she said “We’re celebrating the End Times, Mom. The collapse of the power grid and the world banking system. The Rapture and the end of the world...My goodness. Imagine that.” This was the first time I actually felt like I could relate to the author and her frustration with her mother as she slowly descended into madness. Before I had no idea how she was handling this gradual loss of her mother or how she treated her, and then all of a sudden the narrator that Ruth Ozeki had created was pulled out of the shadows and became an actual human being that could be connected with. Not to mention I actually laughed and enjoyed one of her chapters for once.
Then of course on the next page, the narrator’s sassiness sort of faded into the background as she upstaged herself with her own cat. Yes, I realize that sounds strange but the way she writes about the cat that she really isn’t fond of is a lot more interesting than the way she writes about her own life. In this particular case “The cat turned his back and stalked out of the room, tail in the air, as if leaving had been his intention in the first place” (84). Let me repeat: she upstaged herself in the way with which she wrote about her cat. This was a face palm moment for me. I had been so proud of the author, I earmarked the page in the book where her voice popped off of the page and then I read 50 words onto the next page and bam! the cat became my favorite character in this section. Again. Yes, this is not the first time her cat has captured my attention, and I don’t think it will be the last.
Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate the way she describes her cat. It paints a very clear mental image and really tells me what that cat is thinking right then and there. But what is the author thinking right then and there? Hell, what is the author thinking ever? Okay yes she does provide her thoughts from time to time, but she just copies them down onto the page in a very syncopated manner that reminds me of the notes I take during Psychology lectures.
Reading this novel has made me realize how important it is to create a strong, three-dimensional voice when you want your readers to actually care about what you’re saying. No, it doesn’t have to be sassy and sarcastic all of the time. But an author’s voice should always reflect the personality and/or they’re trying to convey. Simply giving a glimpse at who she is every couple pages is not enough. It has to be a constant exercise in letting the reader get to know you. And maybe your cat, but only to add a little something occasionally.
