The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman | Style

The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman Style

Narration and Dialect

Much of the critical acclaim awarded to Gaines for The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman centers around his narrative creation-Miss Jane Pittman. Jane's first-person ("I") account of one hundred years of her life in America brings a uniquely personal perspective to this historical novel. An important part of her narration is the use of dialect-a variation in language particular to a region or culture. Jane's retelling is recorded in her own rural black dialect, in this instance the language of Gaines's native Louisiana. This use of dialect brings a realism to both the characterization of Jane and the Louisiana setting of the book. In addition, by allowing Jane's unrestrained frankness to take charge of the story, Gaines maintains the feeling of the conversation of her telling. The novel is experienced more as something heard than as something read.

Jane's frank narrative style also serves to highlight one of the...
(read more)