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Stylistic Analysis

Stylistic analysis is a method to study texts and understand an author's choices. It examines language, tone, structure and other elements to identify and interpret stylistic choices. Levels of analysis include phonological, graphological, lexical, syntactic, semantic and pragmatic levels which look at sound, visual elements, vocabulary, grammar, meaning, and social context respectively.

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50 views

Stylistic Analysis

Stylistic analysis is a method to study texts and understand an author's choices. It examines language, tone, structure and other elements to identify and interpret stylistic choices. Levels of analysis include phonological, graphological, lexical, syntactic, semantic and pragmatic levels which look at sound, visual elements, vocabulary, grammar, meaning, and social context respectively.

Uploaded by

amg5915
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Stylistic Analysis

What is Stylistic Analysis?


Stylistic analysis is a method of studying texts in order to understand the choices and patterns made by the writer. It involves
examining the language, tone, structure, and other elements of a text in order to identify and interpret the author's stylistic
choices.

Daffodils by William Wordsworth

I wandered lonely as a cloud


That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine


And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they


Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed--and gazed--but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie


In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;

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Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.

Why we need this?


The importance of understanding an author's style in order to fully appreciate and analyze their work
Style

Levels of Stylistic Analysis

1. Phonological level: = Sound


• use of rhyme, The cat in the hat & we took a look
we saw a nook

• alliteration, She sells sea shells on the sea shore


• other sound devices
• It explores how these patterns contribute to the overall effect of the text
• how they may reflect the author's intentions.
2. Graphological level:
• typography,
• layout, and
• punctuation
• It explores how these visual elements contribute to the meaning and effect of the text
3. Lexical level: =words
• vocabulary
• word choice of a text.
• How words relate to the cultural and historical context in which the text was produced
4. Syntactic level:
• structure and grammar of a text, such as the use of sentence structure,
• repetition, and rhetorical devices
5. Semantic level:
• the meaning and interpretation of a text, such as the use of metaphor, irony, and symbolism
• It explores how these figurative and rhetorical devices contribute to the meaning and effect of the text
6. Pragmatic level:
the social and cultural context in which a text was produced

_____________________________________________________________________________

A. Graphological level:
"The CAT in the HAT"

"CAT" and "HAT" by capitalizing them and increasing their font size = to emphasize
captures the attention of the reader
highlights the key elements of the story

Newspaper Layout

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Newspaper Layout

B. Lexical level:
''The wind whispered through the trees"

''The moon shone like a silver coin in the sky''


C. Syntactic level:
subject + Verb+ object
''The dog chased the cat''

"After the storm passed, the trees, battered and broken, stood as silent witnesses to the violence of nature"
How writer conveys emotions

D. Semantic level:
Figurative Language

"The stars were diamonds in the sky, twinkling and shining with a brilliance that took my breath away."

 diamonds in the sky = metaphor {valuable and precious}


 "twinkling" & "shining"= imagery {imagine the stars and their brilliance}

"As the politician made his announcement, the dark clouds seem to cover the sky"

 symbolize the troubles that lay ahead for his campaign.

E. Pragmatic level:

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"I have to run."

 Meeting
 at the gym
 talking to a friend on the phone

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