The language used in The Lock Artist is mostly casual and informal as appropriate for the conversational tone in which Mike sets out to write his story. This style is used because Mike decides to write his story as though he is chatting with the reader in a bar since he has not spoken since he was 8 years old. The language aids comprehension since it is easy to understand. Mike is effective in describing events and his thoughts which is very important since he cannot speak. The language utilized throughout the novel characterizes Mike's thoughts and the characters that he encounters throughout the tale.