The Circle Writing Style

Light, Contemporary, Colloquial

The Circle is all about the kinds of communication that social networking tools like email, text messaging, instant messaging, comment threads, and other web forums make possible on a daily basis. For that reason, Dave Eggers' writing style throughout the novel is ultra contemporary and colloquial, capturing the everyday language that millennial Americans—and digital media users around the world—use in their daily lives.

This is particularly apparent in the novel's dialogue. Take a look at this brief speech by Ty Gospodinov—transmitted to its audience via web video—to see what we mean:

"Hey everyone. Sorry I can't be there with you all. I've been working on some very interesting new projects that are keeping me away from incredible social activities like the one you're enjoying. But I did want to congratulate you all on this phenomenal new development. I think it's a crucial new step for the Circle and will mean a great deal to our overall awesomeness." (1.29.3)

This speech may as well have been written by Barney Stinson, right? Or by anyone at, you know, Google or Facebook or Twitter. It's light, accessible, and perfectly conversational—the perfect representation of professional discourse at the Circle, and an exemplary taste of the language used throughout the novel as a whole.