Written with Style

Small stylistic choices that David Mitchell makes throughout the book, Cloud Atlas, can be easily skipped over, but actually prove great significance. I find that I have the tendency to slide over the surface, as opposed to plunging to the depths of some of Mitchell's stylistic choices. I am working on this, and having the requirement of discussing style of writing has forced me to pay closer attention. This is good practice to more easily identify hidden meanings. I don't think that I am alone in my struggle with hidden meaning in Cloud Atlas, because it has lots of pieces that will eventually fit together, but have not quite snapped into place.

One element that I have noticed thus far in the book, are the progressing time periods. The sections seem to not only be split up by stories, but by time period. The first section is a diary from far in the past where white men think themselves as the best race, and they travel by vessel. The time periods go from then, all the way to the future where some people are genetically programmed to efficiently work in different jobs, and others endure the services these controlled humans provide. The English language in each section is also slightly altered, from old English, to more contemporary English. For example, in "The Pacific Journal of Adam Ewing", the English has sentences that say things like "His body shuddered with each excoriating lash, his back was a vellum of bloody runes, but his insensible face bespoke the serenity of a martyr already in the care of the Lord." This old English makes complete sense in the time period, and when compared to the wording of the futuristic section of Cloud Atlas it seems very complicated and almost unnecessary. For instance, in the section "An Orison of Sonmi~451", Mitchell boils down the letters to only what seems necessary when he writes "Mr. Chang taught me to shuffle thru granular ice to gain traction [...] Glass walls afforded a dizzying view of the conurb by nite, obscured by the haze-brite snowfall". These sentences take out extra letters that make the same sounds. Another example of this is "'I assumed you were yet another semi-ascended xperiment". The "e" is not necessary, and by taking out letters, the writing seems more futuristic. This stylistic choice by David Mitchell seems to have the purpose of contrasting the different time periods.
One detail that I have noticed throughout Cloud Atlas, is that many of the main characters have revealed in some way that they have a "comet shaped birthmark". So far I am unaware of the function of this detail, other than the fact that it brings the sections together.  The birthmark paints the skin of Adam Ewing, Frobisher, Timothy Cavendish, Luisa Rey, and Sonmi, who is one of the genetically programmed humans. It is especially weird that Sonmi has a birthmark, because these types of people are not supposed to have them. When Sonmi is retelling her story to an Archivist she mentions that "only my birthmark provoked any passing comment [...] Ma-Leu-Da-108 called it 'Sonmi's stain'". Mitchell goes on further to add the detail that every birthmark is "between [their] collarbone and shoulder blade'. He also adds to every section that it "looks like a comet, don't you think?" This makes me wonder how Mitchell will incorporate the birthmark into having a bigger meaning. The characters are all clearly connected, and have strong personalities that differ from their peers, but there must be more to it than just that.

Cloud Atlas just keeps getting more and more interesting, and I have enjoyed the futuristic section "An Orison of Sonmi~451" the most so far. Each section forces more questions into my head, and I look forward to closure and answers!