Стилистика текста

SIW

Module 1

Variant 2

Theme: Stylistic Devices. Analysis of the text.

 

 

1. Point out three metaphors and three epithets used by the author to characterize the main character (Stephens) and comment on them.

 

Metaphors from the text:

1. It was baggy at the knees and the pockets bulged untidily. Baggy at the knees - loosely constructed and inflated with inessential elements.
2. I can`t stick it any more. Here it means that he fed up with this life.
3. “It`s a dark risk.” Here risk is very dangerous, because Stephen tried to change his life totally.
4. If you don`t want money but are content to earn just enough to keep body and soul together, then go. “Keep body and soul together” -  this metaphors enables us to understand the impalpable working of the mind in terms of the palpable working of one’s body.

 A metaphor - is the understanding itself of one concept in terms of another.

Epithets- a rhetorical term for an adjective (or adjective phrase) used to characterize a person or thing.

1. Thick-set and stout -  it means heavily or solidly built; stocky
2. Round red face- here author tried to describe his appearance, his features.
3. Little man- he was little from his nature.
4. Bullet-shaped head- about his shape of head.

 

2. Give synonyms of colloquial style to the following literary words: “to flounder”, “hazardous”, “content”, “a trifling indisposition», «errand”, “to perceive”.

 

“to flounder” – stumble

 

“hazardous” –dodgy

 

“content” –core

 

“a trifling indisposition» -- malaise

 

«errand”- instruction

 

  “to perceive” - realize

 

 

 

 

3. What words and phrases are used to describe Stephens at the beginning and at the end of the story? How can the reader gather that Stephens was happy in Spain? What was it that attracted him to Spain?

 

At the beginning of the story author used the words and phrase in order to describe the Stephens like:  total stranger, trifle embarrassed. Also at the beginning of the story he was a unhappy doctor in England. He seems to be very tired of life and  passive At the end of the story author describe him using the word combinations like: little man, thick-set and stout, a round red face, but he become happy in Spain.

It is not so difficult to the reader gather about Stephens’s further life in Spain. In my opinion he would be happy in Spain, because before moving their he got information about his position and future of life in Spain. Before moving to abroad he wanted to know if he would have any chance to have a job in Spain. The narrator said that if he wasn’t worried about money, he would be success. Also his wife was willing to do it and it mean that there are not any obstacle for him to change his life. 

        Stephen did not like his duty as a medical officer in an infirmary. He heard by accident that there was no English doctor in Seville and he could earn a living there.  And that`s all he has got to look forward to for the rest of his life. Moreover, here exist a lot of things that attracted him to Spain.  He thought that there`s sunshine there, and there`s good wine, and there`s colour, and there`s air he can breathe.

       The text is a descriptive one; there are many descriptive signals: a modest apartment, a total stranger, an apologetic laugh, a cursory glance, a little man, a wonderful life, trifling indisposition, a squeamish patient, a dim recollection, a Spanish woman and others. Descriptive words make the text expressive and vivid.  The author employs many contextual synonyms, which make the language expressive: dangerous, hazardous; unwillingly, forced; confused, embarrassed; a total stranger, a perfect stranger; alter, change; twinkled, shone.  By this story, the author shows us that our life is full of compensations. Taking the risk, you lose something but also you can find something, which could be really important for you.

      So in conclusion I would like to say that the story tells us about different events, which followed one another: I heard a ring bell at the door; I led him into my sitting room; achieved this feat; he reached out for his hat; he left me; many years later; I happened to be in Seville, etc.