Anyone who loves literature is likely to notice Berry's elegant yet understated prose style. Indeed, the narrative is related is such dignified, wellphrased English that Ajeemah and His Son provides a good model for someone learning English as a second language; imitating Berry's prose style would form a good foundation for learning to write English well.

Another important aspect of Berry's writing is his handling of dialect. His characters in Africa speak a somewhat grand diction with Atu addressing his father, "My father Ajeemah," and saying, "I thank you, my father Ajeemah."

This elevated diction contrasts with how people speak in Jamaica where the slave dialect drops articles, prepositions, and sometimes verbs. With an ear for language, one can hear the lilting Jamaican dialect reproduced in Berry's Jamaican characters. In his hands, the language is poetic, and it provides a strong sense of locale.

Ajeemah and...