87 Language and Style I n most of the passages you have read so far, the author’s ideas and intentions have been very clear. But what happens when they’re not? What if the writer doesn’t pro- vide a topic sentence that clearly expresses the main idea? Or what if the writer gives you a poem instead of a clear-cut memorandum? How do you figure out what the author is trying to say? The good news is that no matter how cryptic a piece of writing may seem, the author always leaves clues to help you figure out what he or she means. These clues can be found in the writer’s language and style—the words used and the type of sentences in which he or she uses them. The next four lessons, therefore, focus on four different aspects of lan- guage and style: ■ Point of view ■ Diction ■ Style ■ To n e You’ll learn how authors use these elements to create meaning for their readers. Then you’ll put it all together in Lesson 15 to see how language, style, structure, and meaning work together. . readers feel as if they are taking part in the action or ideas being expressed in the text. For example, let’s imagine that a writer wants to convince readers in a particular town that a community. involved in the action (the policy) and therefore cannot have an objective opinion about the policy’s success or failure. I’s opinion may be prej- udiced by the writer’s personal experience. Of course,. effect does it create for you, the reader? You generally is used to address the reader directly, particularly when the writer is giving directions. Imagine, for example, that you have registered