A Critical Discourse Analysis of Figures of Speech in Mark Twain's "Buying Gloves in Gibraltar"

Abstract

This paper is an attempt to critically analyze the figures of speech employed in Mark Twain's (1835-1910) story entitled "Buying Gloves in Gibraltar ". The paper aims to find out the types of figurative devices employed in this story, their functions, and the ideologies intended to be conveyed via these devices. The study hypothesizes a frequent use of these devices in the target story, and the influence of power relations among characters upon the use of these devices. To achieve and verify aims of the study, two types of procedures have been followed: theoretical and practical. The theoretical part consists of presenting a brief theoretical framework of critical discourse analysis and figurative language. On the other hand, the practical part consists of surveying the figurative devices in the story to find out their frequency and analyze their uses in the light of an eclectic model based on (1) Leech’s (2013) classification of figurative devices into metaphor, irony, simile, personification, hyperbole, oxymoron, metonymy, and (2) Fairlough's (1989) model which consists of three stages: description, interpretation, and explanation. The analysis of results has shown the frequent use of figurative devices in the story under study, and the influence of power relations among characters upon the use of these devices.