Toni Morrison's unique and distinctive style helps control how the reader will respond to the characters and events within the novel. Morrison uses several different devices to control how the reader reacts to everything that is happening. Some examples of these devices are syntax (as tied with the stream of consciousness method of narration), point of view, and the use of flashback technique. The first device that Morrison uses within the novel is syntax with …showed first 75 words of 1054 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1054 total…the chapter without punctuation. The flashback technique gave the reader an idea of what happened to the characters in the past so they could formulate ideas as to why the character acts a certain way. The chapter without punctuation allows the reader to actually read the characters thoughts, even though they don't make very much sense at first. It allows the reader to identify with the characters thoughts by making the character's thoughts their own.