Rationale of the study
Discourse Analysis, encompassing various approaches to examining written, spoken, and signed language as well as significant semiotic events, has emerged as a vital field within social sciences Its rapid expansion offers valuable insights into language usage, making it essential for language teaching and understanding communication dynamics.
In the past, language teaching primarily focused on pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary However, the emergence of Discourse Analysis significantly enhanced our understanding of how to effectively apply this knowledge for successful communication.
Literature plays a vital role in our spiritual lives and has flourished alongside rising living standards An increasing number of individuals are pursuing careers in the literary field, leading to the creation of many renowned works Key factors must be considered to produce successful literary pieces, as they significantly impact the coherence and cohesion of the text Understanding these elements is essential for effective language usage and crafting meaningful narratives.
"The Call of the Wild", Jack London's most famous book, is a beautiful tale of a
In Jack London's compelling narrative, "The Call of the Wild," Buck, a house dog, is uprooted from the comforts of home and thrust into the harsh realities of the wild Through Buck's experiences, readers explore a spectrum of emotions, including happiness, hardship, and love, making the story resonate on a deeper level Buck's journey transcends a simple tale about a dog; it reflects the broader human experience, leaving a lasting impression on its audience.
The author's decision to analyze grammatical cohesion in "The Call of the Wild" by Jack London stems from its significance for both teachers and learners of foreign languages This study aims to provide insights into grammatical cohesive devices and their effective application within the text, enhancing understanding for those engaged in language learning.
Aims of the study
As mentioned above, there are several reasons that lead the author to choose to carry out this study Thus, the aims of the study are as follows:
To explore how the grammatical cohesive devices employed in "The Call of the
To make a detailed analysis of grammatical cohesion in Jack London's "The Call of the Wild"
In order to achieve the aims stated, the study is meant to find out the answers to the following research questions:
1 What grammatical cohesive devices are used in "The Call of the Wild"?
2 To what extent do grammatical cohesive devices contribute to the success of literary works?
Scope of the study
Discourse Analysis encompasses a wide range of topics and is closely linked to various aspects of language study, making it challenging to cover all its characteristics comprehensively This article provides an overview of essential background information on Discourse Analysis, focusing specifically on the concepts of coherence and cohesion.
This study examines the grammatical cohesive devices used in Jack London's "The Call of the Wild," highlighting the factors that contribute to the work's success The analysis is based on data drawn from seven chapters of the book.
Methods of the study
The study utilizes a Quantitative Method, emphasizing the collection and analysis of numerical data and statistics over qualitative approaches like interviews and case studies This method focuses on counting and measuring, resulting in numerical findings that are typically presented in tables, graphs, or other statistical formats, thereby advancing human knowledge through empirical data.
Design of the study
Within the scope mentioned above, the study has three main parts
Part A is "INTRODUCTION" which consists of the rationale, aims, scope, methods and design of the study
Part B entitled "DEVELOPMENT" includes three chapters Chapter 1, "Theoretical
Background", gives an overview on Discourse and Discourse Analysis, including
This chapter explores Discourse Analysis, focusing on the interplay between discourse and text, as well as the contexts of spoken and written discourse It provides essential background knowledge on cohesion, examining its relationship with coherence and discourse structure, while also categorizing different types of cohesion.
Chapter 2, titled "An Overview of 'The Call of the Wild' by Jack London," presents a concise summary of the novel, highlighting its key characters, significant events, and the author's personal insights This chapter delves into the transformative journey of Buck, the protagonist, as he navigates the challenges of survival in the harsh wilderness, ultimately exploring themes of instinct, adaptation, and the primal call of nature.
Chapter 3 entitled "An analysis of grammatical cohesion used in "The Call of the
"Wild" by Jack London offers a comprehensive analysis of grammatical cohesive devices utilized throughout its seven chapters, highlighting various examples to illustrate their application effectively.
Part C is "CONCLUSION" in which the author summarizes the main points introduced in the study
The study ends with the "REFERENCES" which list all the materials and sources of information used in this study
Theoretical Background
Discourse and Discourse Analysis
Discourse analysis examines the connection between language and its contextual usage, emerging from various fields such as linguistics, semiotics, psychology, anthropology, and sociology in the 1960s and early 1970s Unlike traditional grammarians, discourse analysts focus on the practical application of language, analyzing both written texts and spoken data Over time, this approach has led to multiple interpretations of what constitutes discourse analysis.
British discourse analysis is significantly shaped by M.A.K Halliday's functional approach, which highlights the social functions of language and the thematic and informational organization of communication Key contributions from scholars such as De Beaugrande (1980) and Halliday and Hasan (1976), along with the Prague School of linguists, underscore the connections between grammar and discourse, enriching this field of linguistics.
Yule (1996:139) emphasizes that the study of language is particularly intriguing when focusing on its usage rather than its components This leads to essential questions about how language users interpret each other's intentions and make sense of written texts Discourse analysis investigates how we comprehend meaning beyond the literal words spoken, identify coherent discourse, and engage effectively in conversations.
Discourse analysis plays a crucial role in interpreting texts, as it allows us to understand the intended messages of writers By examining language in context, we can uncover deeper meanings A fundamental concept in discourse analysis is cohesion, which helps to connect ideas and enhance clarity in communication.
David Nunan (1993) defines context as the situation that gives rise to discourse, which can be categorized into two types: linguistic and non-linguistic Linguistic context, also known as co-text, refers to the surrounding text that accompanies the discourse being analyzed In contrast, non-linguistic context, highlighted by Firth (1957), emphasizes the importance of the social context in understanding discourse.
He saw context of situation as crucial determinants of utterance meaning However, Firth did not give a theoretical account of the effect of context on utterance meaning
Halliday and Hasan emphasize the significance of the context of situation in their work, introducing three key concepts: FIELD, MODE, and TENOR These concepts serve as a framework for understanding how situational context influences the meanings conveyed in communication They argue that the linguistic features linked to specific situational characteristics—defined by the values of field, mode, and tenor—form what is known as a register.
Cohesion
Cohesion is a fundamental aspect of text, referring to the grammatical and lexical relationships between its various elements As noted by Yule (1996), a text possesses a specific structure that differs from the structure of individual sentences This structure is influenced by various factors, particularly cohesion, which encompasses the ties and connections that exist within the text.
Halliday and Hasan (1976:4) describe cohesion as a semantic concept that pertains to the meaningful relationships within a text, which ultimately define it as a cohesive entity They emphasize that cohesion frequently arises when the understanding of certain elements in the discourse relies on the interpretation of others.
The distinction between cohesion and coherence has not always been clarified partly because both terms come from the same verb cohere which means sticking together
Cohesion refers to the formal relationships that connect different parts of a text, achieved through grammar and vocabulary In contrast, coherence signifies the meaningful and unified quality of a text According to Nunan (1993), coherence is the impression that sequences of sentences or utterances are interconnected and make sense together.
Coherence in writing pertains to the semantic and rhetorical connections that give texts their meaning While cohesion focuses on the linguistic elements that create semantic unity, coherence is concerned with the overall significance of a text, ensuring it conveys a clear and meaningful message.
Cohesion serves as a guide to coherence, which is ultimately established by the reader during the reading process These two elements are interconnected and play a crucial role in distinguishing coherent texts from those that lack organization.
In short, coherence is embodied by a system of cohesive devices and cohesion is mainly used to ensure coherence
Halliday and Hasan (1976) classify cohesion based on linguistic forms, distinguishing between semantic relations and lexico-grammatical relations This means that cohesive relations can be understood as either lexico-grammatical or semantic in nature.
Nature of cohesive relation Type of cohesion
Substitution and ellipsis; lexical collocation Reference; lexical reiteration
Grammatical cohesion includes reference, substitution, ellipsis, and conjunction, while lexical cohesion focuses on word relationships Conjunction, although involving lexical selection, is primarily grammatical and thus fits better within grammatical cohesion Therefore, we can categorize cohesion into two main types: grammatical cohesion and lexical cohesion.
Grammatical cohesion is comprised of four sub-types: Reference, Substitution, Ellipsis, and Conjunction This article analyzes typical examples of each type to provide a comprehensive understanding of grammatical cohesion.
Halliday and Hasan (1976:32) define reference as a semantic relationship, emphasizing that the reference item is not limited by the grammatical class of the item it refers to.
The two authors also distinguish situational and textual reference very clearly by contrasting exophora (or exophoric reference) and endophora (i.e, endophoric reference) as follows:
[to preceding text] [to following text] anaphora cataphora
Reference items can be classified as exophoric or endophoric, with endophoric references further divided into anaphoric and cataphoric types Anaphoric references direct readers or listeners to previously mentioned entities, processes, or states, while cataphoric references guide them forward in the text to identify the elements being referenced According to the authors, every language contains items that possess these referencing properties.
To take an example, let us look at the opening lines of a famous English novel,
Jude the Obscure The author, Thomas Hardy, shows different types of reference at work:
As the schoolmaster prepared to leave the village, the community expressed their sadness at his departure The miller from Cresscombe kindly offered his small white cart and horse to help transport the teacher's belongings to the city, located approximately twenty miles away, providing ample space for his effects.
In this example, there are both anaphoric and exophoric reference The followings are detailed analysis of such types of reference
In the phrase "lent him the small white tilted cart," the pronoun "him" refers to the schoolmaster mentioned earlier, indicating that the cart's destination is the schoolmaster's location This connection to the cart in the previous sentence illustrates the use of anaphoric reference, as terms like "him," "his destination," and "such a" all point back to the previously established subject.
The novel begins with the schoolmaster departing from the village, yet it provides no specific details about their identities or locations This ambiguity invites readers to envision a shared world filled with familiar elements, such as typical villages, their inhabitants, and figures like the schoolmaster and miller These references serve as exophoric elements, encouraging readers to connect with the broader context beyond the text itself.
Now consider the following example of reference with the pronoun "she":
Although she was still tired, my sister managed to go to school
In this text, the identity of "she" is not revealed through anaphoric or exophoric references, requiring readers to continue for clarification The term "she" serves as a cataphoric reference, with her identity disclosed in the subsequent part of the sentence.
According to Halliday and Hasan, references can be categorized into three types: personal, demonstrative, and comparative Personal references involve the use of pronouns and determiners that indicate function in a speech situation, such as "I," "you," and "my." Demonstrative references relate to location and proximity, using terms like "this," "that," "here," and "there" to indicate closeness or distance Lastly, comparative references refer to identity or similarity, employing words like "same," "identical," and "equal" to draw connections between entities.
(identity-general comparison); similar, additional (general similarity - general comparison); other, different, else, differently, otherwise (difference); better, more, so, equally (particular comparison)
These various devices enable the writer or speaker to make multiple references to people and things within a text Examples of these types are as follows:
1 Peter didn't come to the party He is too busy typing his reports for the next meeting
In this example, both “Peter” and “he” refers to the same person “He” in the second sentence is regarded as personal reference
2 Tom is always the last person to enter the meeting hall This annoys his colleagues
As can be seen, “This” replaces the meaning of the whole preceding sentence In this case,
3 I'm not so happy as he
In the last example, “so” is used as comparative reference
An overview on "The Call of the Wild" by Jack London
A brief summary of "The Call of the Wild"
"The Call of the Wild" narrates Buck's transformation from a pampered dog in sunny California to a resilient sledge dog in the harsh Arctic wilderness Sold by his master's servant to men seeking gold, Buck endures a challenging journey through unforgiving landscapes, experiencing both skilled and incompetent ownership Under the care of John Thornton, Buck's survival instincts awaken, leading him to become the greatest sledge dog on the frozen trails Ultimately, after Thornton's tragic death, Buck finds his true place in the wild, embracing his innate connection to nature.
An overview on "The Call of the Wild"
"The Call of the Wild" narrates the journey of Buck, a dog whose experiences serve as both witness and storyteller, offering readers a unique perspective on the unfolding events Through Buck's eyes, Jack London not only chronicles a transformative adventure but also addresses the social issues of his time, enriching the narrative with deeper meaning.
Throughout his journey, Buck forms significant relationships with various characters that shape the narrative The main characters can be categorized into three groups: Buck, John Thornton, and a trio consisting of Hal, Charles, and Mercedes Each character embodies the attitudes and behaviors of distinct groups of people relevant to the story's historical context.
"The Call of the Wild" is a remarkable novel that chronicles Buck's adventures, offering more than just a gold-seeking journey; it provides a vivid portrayal of life during its time Jack London presents a narrative that emphasizes the struggle against nature, reflecting on the realities of existence beyond the comforts of modern living The novel is rich with social issues and profound messages that provoke thought in readers Key themes include the survival of the fittest, the impact of heredity and environment, and the complex relationship between man and dog.
A detailed analysis of the story events in the next chapter will make it clearer to have an overview on the “hidden messages” in “The Call of the Wild”
CHAPTER 3: AN ANALYSIS OF GRAMMATICAL COHESION USED IN “ THE
"The Call of the Wild" is a timeless classic that continues to captivate readers today, thanks to several key factors contributing to its success One of the most important elements is cohesion, particularly grammatical cohesion This chapter explores how Jack London skillfully utilizes various cohesive devices in his writing, aiming to answer critical questions about their implementation and significance in the novel.
Reference
Reference is fundamentally a relationship in meaning, where the initial form pertains to the situation itself, while references to other items within the text are considered secondary Halliday (1985:312) suggests that exophoric reference, which links to external persons or objects, is unlikely to be the original form of reference Exophoric references connect language to the situational context, aiding in text creation, but they do not enhance the cohesion between different passages within the same text Although exophoric references are not internally cohesive, they play a crucial role in understanding the overall context.
While analysing “The Call of the Wild” in detail, we realize that such type of references is widely used It can be seen in the following examples:
( ) And this was the manner of dog Buck in the fall of 1897, when the Klondike strike dragged men from all the world into the frozen North (Chapter 1)
The mention of "the Klondike" and "the frozen North" in the book highlights the historical context of the Klondike Gold Rush, a significant event in the late 19th century This gold rush led to a massive influx of immigrants to the Klondike River near Dawson City, Yukon, Canada, following the discovery of gold Understanding this background is crucial for readers to fully grasp the novel's setting and the motivations of its characters, as many men were drawn to the area in search of fortune through gold prospecting.
Buck’s first day on the Dyea beach was like a nightmare (Chapter 2)
In chapter 1 of Jack London's novel, Buck and his companions embark on a ship bound for a colder destination, signaling a significant change in their lives As chapter 2 unfolds, the narrative shifts to "Buck's first day on the Dyea," prompting readers to question the location's context Is it the same Arctic darkness introduced earlier? London encourages readers to engage with a broader world beyond the text, where both humans and animals must navigate the harsh realities of a primordial existence Notably, Dyea refers to a river in Alaska, emphasizing the novel's themes of survival and resilience in challenging environments.
Jack London's work, particularly in "The Call of the Wild," is deeply rooted in real-life social concerns of his time The novel prominently features exophoric markers that connect readers to a shared understanding of the world, with a notable frequency of the article "the" used alongside specific locations and other definite nouns Additionally, various methods of exophoric reference are employed throughout the narrative, enhancing the reader's connection to the depicted environment.
The following table is detailed analysis of exophoric references by Jack London in
“The Call of the Wild”
Exophoric Reference Number of occurences Frequency (%)
Table 3.1: Exophoric Reference in “ The Call of the Wild ”
Jack London's novel prominently features exophoric reference, with a total of 390 instances identified across seven chapters, representing 100% usage However, the frequency of these exophoric referent markers varies significantly from chapter to chapter, particularly highlighted in chapter seven.
Exophoric reference occurs most frequently in the article, with 81 instances in chapter one, representing 20.7% of the total In contrast, chapter two features only 34 examples, making up 8.7% Chapter five follows with 72 occurrences, accounting for 18.5%, while chapter six has 65 instances, or 16.7% The remaining chapters show a moderate frequency of exophoric references, ranging from 37 to 65 times, which can be attributed to differences in chapter length Additionally, the context of the story events in each chapter significantly influences the frequency of these referent markers.
The author's extensive use of exophoric references in the novel aligns with Jack London's writing style, reflecting his deep concern for contemporary social issues This technique effectively paints a vivid picture of a society that resonates with both the writer and his readers, creating a relatable and realistic backdrop for the narrative.
Endophora can be categorized into anaphora and cataphora, as discussed in the previous chapter on "Reference." Anaphora refers to references that connect to preceding texts, while cataphora points to future text Guido Telemans (2001-2002) notes that cataphoric references serve as a classic technique to engage readers, often found in the opening sentences In contrast, anaphoric references necessitate that readers revisit earlier sentences for complete understanding.
Below are some examples of anaphoric and cataphoric reference:
Buck did not read the newspapers, or he would have known that trouble was brewing, not alone for himself, but for every tide-water dog, ( ) (Chapter 1)
The terms “he” and “himself” serve as anaphoric references that connect back to “Buck” mentioned earlier in the text This connection may pose challenges for readers, as understanding the overall context requires them to refer back to previous sections to clarify the relationship.
“he” as well as “himself” and the already mentioned “Buck” Here, “he”, “himself” and
In the evening, Charles and Hal added six outside dogs to their team, bringing the total to fourteen, including the original six and two huskies, Teek and Koona, from their record trip However, the newcomers, consisting of three short-haired pointers, a Newfoundland, and two mongrels, appeared to be poorly trained and unfamiliar with their tasks.
In this section, we will focus on referent markers, particularly the cataphoric interpretation of "Teek and Koona," which requires readers to look ahead to understand their significance in relation to "the huskies obtained at the Rink."
In the article, the phrase "their landing" refers back to "the outside dogs," highlighting the connection between the two subjects This relationship emphasizes the journey of the outside dogs as they seek to establish their identity during the record trip.
Lastly, “they” in “They did not seem to know anything” is cataphoric refererent of “these newcomers”, appearing in the final part of the whole text
Anaphora is utilized more frequently than other forms of endophora, requiring readers to advance through the text to fully grasp the linguistic expressions The following section will present a statistical analysis of reference markers found in "The Call of the Wild."
3.1.2 Statistical Analysis of Reference Markers
In the previous chapter, we identified three types of references: personal, demonstrative, and comparative The table below provides a detailed breakdown of the occurrences of each reference type throughout the novel.
To begin with, let us have a look at personal referent items used in this novel
Class Determinative Possessive Deitic Chapter
Masculine He/him His His 189 237 328 180 94 273 305
Feminine She/her Hers Her 0 12 5 0 66 8 0
Plural They/them theirs Their 34 86 135 40 138 46 100
Table 3.2 Personal Reference in “ The Call of the Wild ”
Table 3.2 reveals that the author utilizes a significant amount of personal references throughout the seven chapters, varying in frequency based on the characters' number and gender Notably, all animals, particularly dogs, are personified and referred to as "he" or "she." A thorough analysis of the chapters uncovers a total of 2,627 instances of personal reference, representing 100% of the occurrences.
Substitution
Halliday and Hasan (1976:91) have listed the items that occur as substitution as follows: Nominal (one, ones, same), Verbal: (do), Clausal (so, not)
Substitution serves as an effective tool for grammatical cohesion, widely utilized in various literary works In our analysis of "The Call of the Wild," we found a surprising frequency of substitution, occurring 32 times across seven chapters Nominal substitution was the most prevalent, appearing 17 times and constituting 53.1% of the total Verbal substitution followed closely with 13 occurrences, making up 40.6% Lastly, clausal substitution was the least common, found only twice in the final two chapters, accounting for 6.3% of the total instances.
The table below shows the frequency of substitution in detail:
Table 3.5: Substitution in “The Call of the Wild”
Nominal substitutes such as "one," "ones," and "same" play a crucial role in language, with "one" and "ones" specifically serving as heads of nominal groups and effectively substituting for them Notably, in the analyzed instances, "same" did not appear as a substitute Here are some examples demonstrating the use of "one" and "ones" in nominal substitution.
Despite his pain and despair, Spitz fought desperately to stay with the pack He noticed the ominous circle of glowing eyes and panting tongues surrounding him, reminiscent of past encounters where he had witnessed defeated rivals being encircled This time, however, he found himself in the position of the vanquished.
The Spitz dog breed is known for its distinctive appearance and playful personality This breed exhibits loyalty and intelligence, making it a popular choice among dog owners The term "one" in the context refers specifically to the Spitz, highlighting its unique characteristics and charm.
The first night in camp, Joe, the sour one, was punished roundly – a thing that Spitz had never succeeded in doing
(Chapter 4) Fresh batches of Hudson Bay dogs were to take the place of those worthless for the trail The worthless ones were to be got rid of ( )
Similarly, in these two instances, “one” in “the sour one” and “ones” in “the worthless one” substitute “Joe” and “the Hudson Bay dogs” respectively
Verbal substitution, particularly the use of the word "do," effectively prevents the repetition of verbs in preceding text, enhancing conciseness For instance, employing "do" allows for a more streamlined expression of ideas while maintaining clarity.
At last, one morning, the propeller was quiet, and the Narwhal was pervaded with an atmosphere of excitement He felt it, as did the other dogs, ( )
In this example, the final clause can be understood as "He felt it, just as the other dogs did." To avoid redundancy, the author opts for "did" instead of repeating the verb "felt."
“did” is a substitute for “felt” – known as verbal substitution
Analysing in a similar way, we can see that “do” can not only substitute for a verb but all the verbs previously mentioned as well, as in the instances below:
At times, he ventured into the forest, searching for the elusive call as if it were a physical entity, barking softly or defiantly depending on his mood, yet he remained unaware of the reasons behind his actions.
Old memories flooded back to him, evoking a familiar response akin to his past encounters with reality He recognized this sensation from a distant, hazy world, as he once again found himself running freely in the open.
As far as clausal substitution is concerned, we just realize 2 cases in which “so” and
“I’m not hankering to be the man that lays hands on you while he’s around”, Pete announced conclusively, nodding his head toward Buck
“Py Jingo!” was Han’s contribution “Not mineself either”
Han’s response can be rephrased to indicate, “I wouldn’t dare to touch you while he’s present.” In this context, the word “not” plays a crucial role in conveying the entire meaning of the clause, exemplifying the concept of clausal substitution.
“Never was there such a dog”, said John Thornton one day, as the partners watched Buck matching out of camp
“When he was the made, the mould was broke”, said Pete
“Py Jingo! I t’ink so mineself”, Hans affirmed
In this unique instance, the word "so" does not merely replace Pete's statement; rather, it indicates Hans's agreement with the ideas expressed by both partners This demonstrates that "so" serves as an example of clausal substitution in their conversation.
In conclusion, substitution, while infrequent, serves as a powerful tool for grammatical cohesion, enhancing the clarity of the narrative By shortening sentences and eliminating unnecessary repetition, it significantly contributes to the overall effectiveness of the novel.
Ellipsis
According to Telemans (2001-2002), ellipsis refers to the omission of elements that are typically necessary for grammatical correctness, as the speaker or writer assumes the context makes them obvious This linguistic feature resembles substitution, as both involve referencing prior text; however, ellipsis creates a "gap" rather than using a specific word Like substitution, ellipsis is categorized into three types: nominal, verbal, and clausal ellipsis.
Nominal Ellipsis refers to the omission of the Head in a nominal group, where the structure typically consists of a Head with optional premodifiers or postmodifiers In this context, modifiers include Deitic, Numerative, Epithet, Classifier, and Qualifier elements While a complete nominal group features the Head as the main component, an elliptical nominal group substitutes the Head with other elements such as Deitic, Numerative, Epithet, or Classifier Halliday and Hasan (1976) note that Deitic and Numerative elements are commonly used in these cases, whereas Epithet is less frequent and Classifier is rare Therefore, when analyzing ellipsis in nominal groups, the focus primarily rests on Deitic and Numerative elements, with a brief consideration of Epithet ellipsis.
Halliday and Hasan (1976) highlight that deictic words primarily belong to the determiner class, including demonstrative, possessive, and indefinite determiners, which create a network of systematically related categories They emphasize that the elliptical use of deictic elements significantly contributes to cohesion in English texts Furthermore, these deictic elements can be categorized into specific and non-specific deictics, marking an important distinction in their function.
(1a) Specific Deitics: This group consists of possessive, demonstrative and the
Possessives encompass both nominal forms, such as "Smith's" and "my father's," and pronominal forms, including "my" and "your." The pronominals serve as heads and have unique forms: "mine," "ours," "yours," "his," "hers," "theirs," "whose," and "its." These distinctions can be explored in greater detail.
My, your, our, his (6), her, its, their, ones, yours
Table 3.6: Specific Deitics in “The Call of the Wild”
In "The Call of the Wild," demonstratives serve as determinatives, with a total of 174 occurrences identified throughout the text Notably, the word "This" appears most frequently, occurring 89 times.
In the analyzed text, the demonstrative "that" is prominently used, appearing 73 times, while "these" and "those" are mentioned infrequently, with only 7 and 5 occurrences, respectively Notably, the article "the" is absent as a determinative demonstrative In contrast, interrogative demonstratives are present but less common, with "which" appearing 18 times and "whatever" occurring twice.
Demonstratives are used by writers to emphasize a point without unnecessary repetition or verbosity.
Also, in his gambling, he had one besetting weakness – faith in a system; and this made his damnation certain
It is clear in this example that Jack London has used this to replace the phrase “faith in a system” Similar examples are:
He relentlessly bullied Buck, actively seeking a confrontation that could only result in one of their deaths Early in their journey, such a fight seemed imminent.
In the first three days of their journey, they traveled a total of one hundred miles, covering thirty-five miles to the Big Salmon on the first day, another thirty-five miles to the Little Salmon on the second day, and forty miles on the third day, bringing them closer to the Five Finger.
In these two cases, this and which can replace the meanings of the whole sentences before them
Besides, we can give here other examples of specific deitics in the story as follows:
Were they in the tent? No, that could not be, else he would not have been driven out
(Chapter 2) Charles and Hal went out in the evening and bought six outside dogs These, added to the six of the original team, and Teek and Koona, ( ) (Chapter 5)
Two days later, he returned to his kill, only to find a dozen wolverines fighting over the spoils He quickly scattered them, driving off those that fled and silencing the remaining ones who would no longer quarrel.
The use of possessives with nominal can be found once, as in the following example:
Buck experienced a primal instinct that compelled him to leave the confines of civilization, driven by an intense desire to hunt This deep-seated bloodlust and joy in the act of killing were profoundly personal for him, transcending mere sport.
As regards possessives with pronominal, throughout this book, we can find only one case in which “mine” is used and the other 5 cases of “his”:
In a friendly tone, he addressed Buck, acknowledging their recent conflict and suggesting that the best course of action is to move on He emphasized that both of them have recognized their respective roles in the situation.
(Chapter 1) But Buck was in open revolt He wanted, not to escape a clubbing, but to have the leadership It was his by right (Chapter 4)
Despite his illness, Dave felt a deep resentment at being removed from his position, expressing his discontent with grunts and growls He mourned when he saw Sol-leks taking over the role he had fulfilled for so long The pride he took in his work as a lead dog was undeniable, and even in his weakened state, he struggled with the thought of another dog taking his place.
(1b) Non-specific Deitics: This group, on the other hand, includes each, every, both, any, either, no, neither, some and a Following is the detailed analysis:
Positive Each every Both All (17)
Any (1) Non- selective A(an) (6) Some [sm]
“one” “two” not one unrestricted
Table 3.7: Non-specific Deitics in “The Call of the Wild”
In "The Call of the Wild," specific deictics are utilized more frequently as nominal ellipsis compared to non-specific deictics, as shown in Table 3.7 Additionally, it is evident that not all non-specific items identified are present in the novel.
In the analysis of singular items, the non-selective articles "a/an" are used 6 times, while the selective term "one" appears 12 times, with no instances of "each" or "every." For non-singular items, the term "all" is utilized 17 times, indicating a focus on collective references.
“no”, “some” and “any” are not frequently used, with 3 times, 8 times and 1 time respectively Examples of this group are as follows:
Though unpursue, they were in a sorry plight There was not one who was not wounded in four or five places, while some were wounded grievously (Chapter 3)
Then Francois’s lash descended, and Buck had the satisfaction of watching Spitz receive the worst whipping as yet administered to any of the team
Conjunctions
Telemans (2001-2002) asserts that conjunctions do not initiate a search for their referents but instead presuppose a sequence within the text, indicating relationships between different segments of discourse Conjunctions can be categorized into various types, including single-word, phrasal, and clausal conjunctions.
In the following part we continue our study on different types of conjunctions, classified by Halliday and Hasan (1976), such as: Additive, Adversative, Causal, Temporal and others
Table 3.11: Conjunctive Relations in “The Call of the Wild”
The conjunction "and" is the most frequently used additive relationship in the novel, appearing 1,346 times, which highlights its significant role in enhancing discourse cohesion This can be attributed to its function of connecting not just individual words, but also larger language units such as phrases, clauses, sentences, and even entire paragraphs.
Buck was not just a house or kennel dog; he ruled the entire estate He enjoyed swimming, hunting with the Judge’s sons, and accompanying the Judge’s daughters, Mollie and Alice, on their evening strolls On cold nights, he would rest by the Judge’s feet in front of the library fire, and he playfully carried the Judge’s grandsons on his back, guarding them during their adventures Among the terriers, Buck held an air of superiority, completely ignoring Toot and Ysabel, as he considered himself the king of all creatures, including humans, on Judge Miller’s property.
In this short paragraph, “and” appears 6 times in a variety of function “And” in
“Mollie and Alice” “Toots and Ysabel” helps link words together The next three words
The words "and" function similarly by linking phrases together, such as "rolled them in the grass," "guarded their footsteps," "in the stable yard," "even beyond," "the paddocks," and "the berry patches."
The fifth “and” helps link clause with clause
“Or” - which appears 96 times - comes second The occurrences of “and also” and
The conjunction "nor" is infrequently used as a simple additive, appearing 12 and 17 times in various contexts In contrast, the complex additive conjunction "further" is utilized 19 times, while "in addition" and "besides" are used once and twice, respectively Notably, the appositive phrase "for instance" is mentioned only once in the text.
He appeared friendly, masking his treachery with a smile, all while plotting deceitful actions, such as when he stealthily stole food from Buck during their first meal.
“Likewise” (7 times), “similarly” (once), “on the other hand” (3 times) - as additive comparison, do appear but not very frequently
In examining adversative relations, the conjunction "but" is frequently utilized, occurring 1,289 times, similar to "and," as it connects words, phrases, clauses, sentences, and paragraphs The term "yet," synonymous with "but," appears 35 times, while "however" and "nevertheless" are used less frequently Additionally, adversative expressions indicating contrast and correction include "at the same time" (twice), "instead" (once), and "at least" (once).
The general causal with “so” appearing 17 times in this novel proves that this conjunction is rather preferred by the author There are only 6 cases of “thus” and the other
3 cases of “therefore” Besides, “for” and “because” in turn are used 6 times and 8 times to mark the reversal causal in the discourse
In the analysis of temporal conjunctions, the simple conjunctions "first" and "next" were noted to occur 12 and 17 times, respectively The internal temporal conjunction "then" was the most frequently used, appearing 19 times, followed by "next" with 9 occurrences and "finally" with 5 Additionally, the complex temporal conjunction "at this time" was found 4 times, while the phrase "here," relating to the concept of "here and now," appeared only once.
One thing should be noted here is the absolute omission of Dismissal in Adversative and Conditional and Respective in Causal
The analysis of data reveals that conjunctions play a crucial role in "The Call of the Wild," as their frequent use ensures coherence in the text; without them, the narrative would merely consist of unrelated sentences.
In this chapter, we analyzed the grammatical cohesive devices used in Jack London's "The Call of the Wild." The findings, supported by examples from the text, demonstrate how the author effectively utilizes these cohesive elements to enhance the story's emotional depth and relatability for readers globally Grammatical cohesion, along with various other factors, has played a significant role in the enduring success of London's novel.