THE ART OF NARRATIVE IN ‘THE SNAIL’: UNVEILING THE AUTHOR’S LITERARY TECHNIQUES THROUGH A STYLISTIC ANALYSIS

Abstract

Stylistic analysis examines the style and literary methods employed in a work to convey the author’s implicit meaning. The selected text for stylistic study is the short story ‘The Snail’ by the notable Pakistani author Tariq Rahman, renowned for his distinctive writing style. The objective of the study is to examine the literary strategies employed by the author in this narrative and assess the efficacy of these choices in delivering the intended meanings. The employed method for this aim is Leech and Short’s (2007) stylistic and grammatical checklist, due to its latest version. The narrative is examined stylistically by focusing exclusively on figures of speech while considering the grammatical, lexical, and phonological frameworks outlined in the checklist by Leech and Short (2007). The author employs numerous figures of speech to enhance the attraction, significance, and uniqueness of the narrative. The figures of speech include symbolism, allegory, simile, metaphor, anaphora, and alliteration, among others. Further stylistic analyses of this narrative can be conducted by examining additional dimensions such as syntax, context, and cohesiveness or by employing alternative methodologies.