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Metamorphosis in fiction: a supra-sentential analysis

Publikace na Filozofická fakulta |
2018

Tento text není v aktuálním jazyce dostupný. Zobrazuje se verze "en".Abstrakt

This paper illustrates the benefits of the analysis of fiction texts through the combined means of a three-level analysis, viz. FSP, discourse subjects (DSs) and their cohesive chains, and cohesive ties.

It explores the theme of metamorphosis of the characters as it appears on all the three levels of analysis, and the influence the metamorphosis exerts on them. The methodological framework adopted relies on the approaches of Firbas (2006), Adam (2007), Daneš (1974), Červenka (1982), and Halliday&Hasan (1976).

The texts analysed are two short stories by Angela Carter, The Werewolf and The Company of Wolves, which are compared to the fairy tale Little Red Cap, on which they are based. Three main problems are discussed in the paper.

Firstly, it deals with unpredictable tokens in the identity chains of the DSs undergoing the metamorphosis, e.g. it - [...] - the wolf - she - [...] - it, and the cohesive ties through which they are incorporated in these cohesive chains. Secondly, it addresses seeming abrupt switches between two thematic progressions (TPs) which in fact form just one progression, e.g. the themes grandmother - she - the wolf - he form a TP with constant theme.

Lastly, the paper discusses the function of the features detected in the texts in relation to the complexity of the idea of metamorphosis.