Rationale
Figurative language is a captivating and enigmatic aspect of both language and literature, utilized across various texts, including literature, science, advertisements, and everyday communication An example of this is the phrase "Crime is like a disease," which illustrates the construction of figurative language This type of language is particularly prevalent in literature, where it enhances creativity and expression Simile, one of the most common figures of speech, is a literary device that writers use to engage readers, evoke emotions, and transform our perception of the world.
Understanding similes can be challenging because their meanings extend beyond the literal definitions of words While similes are easily recognizable, they often require readers to identify the similarities being drawn, which complicates their interpretation (Chippe & Kennedy, 2001) This challenge is amplified in various types of discourse, particularly in literature, where readers may struggle to grasp the figurative meanings and underlying messages conveyed through similes.
Simile is a versatile figure of speech utilized in both everyday language and specialized contexts, including literary, journalistic, and promotional texts Research on simile spans various fields such as rhetoric, literary studies, linguistics, and psycholinguistics, highlighting its significance in communication and expression.
In 1998, discussions on simile often accompanied those on metaphor, yet simile remains underexplored This thesis aims to establish simile as a distinct figure of speech, highlighting its fundamental forms and functions By examining the construction of similes in literature, particularly within novels, the research seeks to illuminate the unique role similes play in enhancing literary expression.
Charles Dickens's novels are renowned for their rich linguistic techniques and tropes that enhance the vividness of character descriptions and settings "David Copperfield" exemplifies Dickens's mastery of language, showcasing his use of humor and a lively style Through figurative devices like similes, he effectively observes and portrays his characters, bringing them to life for readers.
In this article, I explore the use of similes in character depiction within Charles Dickens' novel, David Copperfield My aim is to analyze the nature of similes and their significant impact on storytelling, ultimately enhancing readers' comprehension of the novel Through this study, I hope to illustrate the powerful role similes play in enriching the narrative and deepening our understanding of Dickens' work.
Scope of the study
Simile is a vital figure of speech in literature, though the vastness of the field makes it challenging to address all literary forms This thesis specifically examines the use of similes in novels, with a focus on Charles Dickens' renowned work, "David Copperfield." The study will analyze how similes are employed to portray the characteristics of the characters within this classic novel.
Aims of the study
This study aims to investigate the characteristics of simile in the novel discourse
The objective of my study is:
- To investigate the use of similes in depicting the features of characters in the novel
More details on the aimed objective of the study are discussed in Part 2, chapter 2 – The study
The thesis aims to explore the characteristics of simile within English novel discourse, utilizing a deductive approach for data collection from English literature This study seeks to describe simile as it occurs in natural linguistic processes.
Therefore it is descriptive and explanatory research The techniques involved in data analysis are both qualitative and quantitative
The main points in the thesis are analyzed and discussed with the support of such methods as analysis, synthesis and documentation
The study consists of three main parts:
Part I: Introduction This part introduces the relevant, the aims, the scope and methodology of the study
Part 2: Development This part is composed of two chapters
Chapter 1, the Literature Review, establishes the theoretical foundation of the study by introducing key concepts related to the thesis topic This section offers a comprehensive overview of simile, highlighting its significance and relevance within the broader context of the research.
Chapter 2 of the study centers on the analysis of similes employed to illustrate character traits in the novel "David Copperfield." This section details the research design utilized in the investigation and presents the findings derived from the study.
Part 3 is the conclusion of the study which summarized the issues addressed in the main part and offered implications for teaching as well as further study
1.1.1 The meaning of the word
Numerous attempts have been made to define the meaning of the word "word." According to Nguyen Hoa (2004: 67), words are the smallest indivisible meaningful units of language that can function independently He further elaborates that a word's meaning reflects reality or conveys human conceptualization of it It is widely accepted that words, phrases, and sentences possess meanings, with sentences constructed from words, where the meaning of a sentence derives from the meanings of its constituent words.
In the word meaning, it is necessary to distinguish two types of meaning, denotation (or conceptual meaning) and connotation
According to Nguyen Hoa (2004: 98), denotation refers to a word or expression's capability to identify all objects encompassed by it These objects, while diverse in reality, share specific features that allow them to be recognized under a common term.
Denotation encompasses both conceptual and referential meanings, existing through its reference to specific entities Words serve the essential function of denoting objects and concepts; for instance, the term "computer" refers to a diverse array of computing devices, varying in shape and size, all classified under the umbrella of computers.
Connotation refers to the affective or evaluative associations that words carry beyond their literal meanings According to Nguyen Hoa (2004), connotation emerges as words become linked to specific characteristics of the items they describe, making this meaning inherently unstable It varies significantly based on cultural context, historical periods, and individual experiences Connotation encompasses various dimensions, including stylistic, affective, evaluative, and intensifying meanings, which are shaped by factors such as the context of use, the speaker's intent, and the audience.
Stylistic connotation refers to the associations linked to the context in which a word is spoken, including the social circumstances (such as formal or informal settings), the relationships between the speakers (whether polite or rough), and the intended purpose of the communication.
Words gain emotional or affective connotations through their frequent use in emotionally charged contexts or because the concepts they denote are inherently linked to feelings.
- Evaluative connotation expresses approval or disapproval
- Intensifying connotation which is expressive and emphatic
In short, connotation meaning is relative unstable It varies considerably according to culture, historical period and the experience of the individual
Words cannot be defined in isolation; their meanings are shaped by their relationships with semantically related words, as noted by Saeed (2003) Context plays a crucial role in understanding word meanings, as ambiguity arises without it Collocation, the habitual association of words, influences meanings by restricting which words commonly appear together Nguyen Hoa (2004) emphasizes that collocative meaning arises from the associations a word forms due to the meanings of surrounding words Halliday (1966) further explores this by comparing the collocation patterns of adjectives like "strong."
―powerful‖ which might seem to have similar meaning For example, we talk of ―strong tea‖ rather than ―powerful tea‖ but ―a powerful car‖ rather than ‗a strong car‖
Contextual effects can influence word meanings in various ways, leading to creative and semantic shifts (Saeed, 2003: 62) Words can carry different meanings depending on the context in which they are used For instance, the noun "run" can mean "to jog" in the phrase "I go for a run every morning," while in "There's been a run on dollars," it may imply a surge or demand, showcasing the versatility of language.
Collocation and semantics are closely intertwined, as the meaning of a word often relies on its collocated terms Additionally, a word typically forms collocations with other words that share similar semantic characteristics.
Semantic change requires a connection between the original meaning and the new interpretation There are two primary types of semantic transference: metaphor, which relies on similarity, and metonymy, which is based on contiguity.
Metaphor from the Greek for ―transference‖, is the transference of meaning from one object to another based on the similarity between these two objects George Lakoff
In their influential book "Metaphors We Live By" (1980), Lakoff and Johnson introduced the concept of conceptual metaphor, defining it as a process that allows us to understand one thing in terms of another, emphasizing its primary function of enhancing comprehension This process involves linking abstract concepts to more concrete ones, often based on similarities in shape, position, movement, function, color, or size Additionally, metaphors frequently transfer animal names to describe human traits, such as referring to a cunning individual as a "fox" or a spiteful person as a "snake."
Metaphors consist of two key concepts known as the target domain and the source domain The target domain refers to the described concept, while the source domain represents the comparison concept For instance, in the metaphor "Mary is a blooming rose," "Mary" serves as the source domain and "a blooming rose" as the target domain This example illustrates that there are shared characteristics between Mary and a blooming rose, suggesting that Mary's beauty and vitality can be likened to that of a rose in full bloom during spring.