The Language of Absurdistan

I think that it is Gary Shteyngart's use of descriptive language that is the most important aspect of the books feel. He always points out the most bizzare almost humorous aspects of anything to create the sarcastic attitude of the book. This attitude comes through particularly strong when Misha is in the middle of a particularly intense emotion, such as anger or rejection. A perfect example of the figurative language brought on by an intense emotion is the reaction Misha has to Rouenna leaving him for professor Shteynfarb. He immediately begins by describing a rather normal looking man and picking out every bizzare thing about how he looks and thus making him seem to be very odd looking, almost comical, in our heads. He quotes "I could see him now: an ugly little man, dry lips, a mowhawk of black hari carved out by teenage alopecia, dark lizzard puches beneath his eyes.." This type of brutally sardonic description is what gives the book its unique feel and caustic nature. Another of the more importan pieces of figurative language employed by Shteyngart is his use of metaphors and similes. " She was more like a modern day Anna Karinina..." it is similes like this that give the reader an insight into what Misha is really getting his views from. Both the similes and the descriptive language are the most important parts of the language of Absurdistan.