While Ripley is contemplating or executing violent or dangerous actions, Highsmith uses language style choices such as wording, sentence structure, detail, and figurative language to make his thoughts seem rational and sympathetic. The text state’s “He had offered Dickie friendship, companionship, and respect, everything he had to offer, and Dickie had replied with ingratitude and now hostility.” (Pg. 95). This quote illustrates Highsmith using sentence structure to make Ripley’s thoughts seem rational. Because Tom is illustrating how he is committed to Dickie and how Dickie is not committed to him, instead Dickie treats Tom with ingratitude and hostility it shows Tom’s thoughts of murder to be rational.
