The stylistic role of syntactic parallel constructions in artistic prose (on the example of Sinclair Lewis’s «Babbit»)

Abstract

The paper considers the issue of syntactic parallel constructions as stylistic means in artistic prose. Different approaches to the term «style» are dwelt upon. Syntactical stylistics is the main conductor of emotions in the written type of language, so, correspondingly, any change of form will inevitably cause a slight modification of meaning. Sinclair Lewis’s novel «Babbit» was chosen to illustrate how syntactic parallel construction performs its stylistic role in prose. The results of the novel’s text analysis showed that parallel constructions of all types are favoured by the author in the descriptive paragraphs. In Sinclair Lewis’s «Babbitt» parallel constructions are used on all levels – syntactical wholes, paragraphs and sentences. On the level of paragraphs parallelism is used mostly in descriptive comparisons. In the sentences it is used in extended similies. One more peculiarity of the author’s style is a repeated key-word on the macro-level, usually put in capital letter which expresses the general idea of the syntactical whole the same way the key sentence expresses the main idea of the paragraph. There are two layers of the narration in each chapter – the background and Babbitt’s life itself. All the syntactical wholes on their micro level are arranged by means of parallelism.

Authors and Affiliations

N. Zhorniak

Keywords

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  • EP ID EP263408
  • DOI -
  • Views 143
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How To Cite

N. Zhorniak (2016). The stylistic role of syntactic parallel constructions in artistic prose (on the example of Sinclair Lewis’s «Babbit»). Наукові записки Національного університету "Острозька академія" Серія "Філологія", 62(62), 10-13. https://europub.co.uk/articles/-A-263408