In Einstein's Dreams, Alan Lightman critiques people's struggles to keep time through hyperbole, anonymous characters, average themes, and simplistic syntax . The characters in Lightman's vignettes have a common problem: how to slow down time; whether to preserve youth or keep a moment for eternity. Although they sometimes cannot name the cause of their discontent, the characters are constantly tormented by the feeling of not living their lives to the fullest and feel trapped by time. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay One method that Lightman uses effectively to argue his point of view in Einstein's Dreams is hyperbole. The vignette that shows people living in tall houses simply to maintain their youth seems ridiculous at first glance; however, on reflection, it is not as absurd as it seems. The characters in the vignette attempt to live their lives to the fullest by building their homes on stilts on top of mountains, because they have heard that time passes more slowly the farther you are from the land. (22) In today's society, people do weird things to look and feel younger: men sometimes face midlife crises while trying out a new car, a new sport, or even finding new younger women to feel younger. For women, this is often more evident in terms of appearance, whether in the form of a haircut, clothing item, or cosmetic surgery. The irony of the tallhouse vignettes is that the people living there gradually lose sight of why they live these harsh lifestyles, but continue their lifestyle, which causes them to become "thin as air, bony, old before age”. (24) In this vignette, Lightman compares these people to those in today's society who plan their lives to obtain the most opportunities, ultimately giving themselves more stress and causing them to age faster. The anonymous characters and repetitive scenarios of Einstein's Dreams convey a sense of universal frustration among the characters in the vignettes. It continually references scenarios involving anonymous lovers, parents and children struggling with the same problems; growing old without really living life and losing loved ones. Although these people live in fantasy worlds that the reader can barely imagine, their lives have a personal connection to the reader because the struggles they face are things that everyone must go through, whether it be buy new clothes or lose your job. (27) Lightman's anonymous characters exude a strong sense of insignificance: they are merchants, lawyers and chemists. They make love to their wives and get up every morning to work; they return home each evening for dinner, stopping at the market on the way to do their shopping. In other words, they represent every person. On May 4, 1905, Einstein dreamed of two wealthy, dissatisfied couples meeting for an annual dinner. They discuss food, business and their children; perhaps the same topics as covered last year. (36) Although they have achieved everything that society desires, these people lead boring and mundane lives. Through this story, Lightman shows that success is not always as sweet as it seems; even those who should be happy are plagued by a feeling of discontent. Lightman's use of simplistic language and syntax lends a dull and ordinary feeling to his vignettes, reinforcing the feeling,.