Language

Language: Section 1

     In The Virgin Suicides its told in the past when all the boys are older. Basically, the whole story is told in a flash back. But, the first scene is a flash forward to start off with. Starting with " On the morning the last Lisbon daughter took her turn at suicide- it was Mary this time, and sleeping pills, like Therese- two paramedics arrived at the house knowing exactly where the knife drawer was, and the gas oven, and the beam in the basement from which it was possible to tie a rope." (Eugenides 1.) The flash forward is helpful at introducing a few characters, making us think that this is the time when the story takes place. But, we are then able to see that the story takes place in the past saying "Cecilia, the youngest, only thirteen, had gone first, slitting her wrists like a Stoic while taking a bath," (Eugenides 1.) By doing this it shows that it's a memory from the narrator.
     The first section uses great description of the party- said to be the only Lisbon party- and the inside of the house and clothing of the girls. (I'll talk about character description in character). They say that Cecilia's dress resembles a  "vintage 1920's wedding dress" (Eugenides 26)  I think this adds to her dream like state she's in before she kills herself, like she's playing dress up and pretending she's out of life. That small description itself is a powerful thing that adds to the story.
     The description of the house (which does change over time) has personification when the boys approach the house, saying "the yellow bricks retained their look of a church-run orphanage and the silence of the lawn was absolute." (Eugenides 24) makes you think the house is alive that it's trying to find its style. The simile used to describe Cecilia's suicide, "Cecilia's open eyes and the way  her mouth kept contracting like that of a fish on a stringer it was just the nerves and she had succeeded, on the second try, in hurling herself out of the world." (Eugenides 31). This helps add to how Cecilia looked, saying "hurling herself out of the world," was like saying she was running to get away and comparing her to a fish out of water was like saying how she really was. A fish out of its home, a place where she wouldn't want to be.

Language: Section 2

     In section 2. It starts with the ambulance coming, and the words used to tell how it comes helps set the tone with it's connotative words "EMS truck appeared at the end of the block, moving about fifteen miles an hour, without flashing lights or siren, as the paramedics already knew it was hopeless." (Eugenides 33)  the word "hopeless" sets that this is sad and despairing, that tragedy had struck. The neighbor boys didn't go to Cecilia's funeral but, they wanted to believe she want dead, saying here body was an  "optical illusion." (Eugenides 39) is a connotative word to say almost like it was fake and that no one wanted to believe she was dead. The boys soon find Cecilia's diary and look through it. It then tells about some scenes described that she had written in her diary. 
     First telling  about what they've eaten ("Monday, February 13. Today we had frozen pizza...") (Eugenides 42) I believe he started these out as normal diary entries to show Cecilia's character, that she acted like she was a normal girl. After the boys start really analyzing the story, they use connotative words to describe how they were learning the girls lives, living it through Cecilia's words. "We felt the imprisonment of being a girl, the way it made your mind active and dreamy, and how you ended up knowing what colors went together." (Eugenides 43) The words "dreamy" and "imprisonment" makes you believe the girls are trapped in their mind and the boys understand how they feel. Later saying they "twin." the girls. (Eugenides 43) like saying they feel the same way somehow.
     Later, the dialogue is told in interview form. Starting with Mrs. Lisbon on how Cecilia acted during the party if there were any signs that she would kill herself. "'She always acted quiet with company," Mrs. Lisbon said. And perhaps their lack of socializing Mr. and Mrs. Lisbon remembered the party as a successful event. Mrs. Lisbon, in fact, was surprised Cecilia wanted to be excused. "I thought she was having a nice time."" (Eugenides 46) I'm not sure why he chose to do this, but I think he wanted it to look like they were gathering evidence like reporters.

Language: Section 3

     In section 3 it basically has the same language going on used. They do bring up the fact that "exhibits" are used. They are what the boys collect from the girls. One is from the night the Lisbon girls went to homecoming. "One photo survives of that night (Exhibit #10)." (Eugenides 118) I'm not sure why he calls them "exhibits" but I believe it was supposed to be seen as if the boys were collecting information about the girls.

Language: Section 4 

     This section is where powerful words about how the girls are kept at home like they're trapped. "A few weeks after Mrs. Lisbon shut the house in maximum- security, the sighting of Lux making love on the roof began." (Eugenides 141) the word "maximum- security" is saying that the Lisbon home is now a prison, and because of this Lux experiments with sex, adding to her character. Talk about the Lisbon house now becoming concealed using personification. "A cloud always seemed to hover the Lisbons' roof." (Eugenides 141) is showing the sadness over the house by using th word "cloud". There's a flash forward used when the boys talk to Mrs. Lisbon, we only know she's older but not sure how many years have pass. "Our interview with Mrs. Lisbon was brief. She met us at the bus station in the small town he lives in, because the station was the only place that served coffee." (Eugenides 142) Using this flash forward, it shows that Mrs. Lisbon has to leave from what happened in the past. Later, the description of the house changes because its deteriorating by using personification. "Now the house had truly died." (Eugenides 162). Saying the house is dead does not
only show how the house, but is what people are feeling on the inside of the house.  The metaphor also used about the house: "...house now one big coffin" (Eugenides 163) is showing that the house inside is holding dead bodies of the Lisbon girls.

Language: Section 5

     The imagery of the Lisbon girls dead bodies were fantastic in description. "The smell of bandages and oxygen masks" (Eugenides 218) Lux killed herself by carbon poisoning, explaining that the cops and EMT's had to wear masks to get her. The simile for Bonnie "...balancing one chair on another like a circus performer" (Eugenides 219) to show how it looked when she hung herself. After the girls killed themselves they say "... suicides came as predictable as seasons or old age." (Eugenides 220) They say the girls were "copycatting" (Eugenides 220) like saying people are saying the Lisbon girls suicides were falling into place.