Non-linear Stream of Consciousness
We really feel like we get to know Gratuity, not only because we get to go along with her on a wild ride, but also because we hear what she thinks about it. We're not just talking about every now again. In fact, the entire writing style is very stream of consciousness. You may have heard this term before, although maybe not in reference to literature. In literature, the term refers to a style of narration in which a character's thoughts are thrown at us, one after the other, as if we were thinking those thoughts right along with them.
Even though Gratuity is writing an essay for her class, she doesn't sit down and give us a formal intro, thesis statement, and the works (don't try this at home, Shmoopers). Instead we get her thoughts as they come to her, instead of in the order things happened. For example, after we've heard about her adventure with J.Lo making her car float, we get the beginning of the story:
Okay. Starting before the Boov came. I guess I really need to begin almost two years ago. This was when my mom got the mole on her neck. This was when she was abducted. (2.2)
We finally learn what happened to her mom, why she's alone, and how the Boov abducted her, with random thoughts interspersed along the way. The out of order (or non-linear, we might say) writing style always keeps us on our toes, but it also keeps us right there with Tip, firmly rooted in her brain.