Abstract
Inspired by the cognitive approach to characterisation and in view of relevance theory, this research attempted to outline a relevance-theoretic account of how affective attachment between fictional characters influences writers’ use of implicata through characters as part of inter-character discourse by defining cognitive processes into fictional characters as a pivotal element of implicit characterisation. Our attempt addressed the veracity of such an influence and the question whether awareness of the intensity degree of such sentimentality influences readers’ non-spontaneous interpretation of character-generated implicata and characters’ intention to actually execute relevant implicating. By adherence to defining cognitive processes into character discourse, we conducted an analysis on six samples of implicata exchanges within inter-character verbal discourse between the mutual parties of the primary affective attachment of the narrative, between the protagonist and another round character out of Stephenie Meyer’s ‘Twilight’ and Veronica Roth’s ‘Divergent’. In every instance of character-generated implication, we found decisive facilitatory influence for awareness of three levels of calculable implicated conclusions, inter-character sentiment intensity, and characters’ communicative intents on readers' achieving what Furlong terms ‘maximal relevance’ through non-spontaneous interpretation of literary texts. Additionally, tracking the progression of inter-character sentiment intensity throughout the two narratives yielded strategic drops during the gradual formation of inter-character bonds employed mainly to demonstrate a mutual sense of fastidiousness in characters’ choice of a companion in romance and also strengthening the said bonds.
Highlights
Too many fictional characters have been related to and felt for by readers for characters not to be considered remodelled representations of the human cognition
By adherence to defining cognitive processes into character discourse, we conducted an analysis on six samples of implicata exchanges within inter-character verbal discourse between the mutual parties of the primary affective attachment of the narrative, between the protagonist and another round character out of Stephenie Meyer’s ‘Twilight’ and Veronica Roth’s ‘Divergent’
Our analysis led us to a bottom-up process for a non-spontaneous interpretation which leads to reaching maximal relevance in the case of implicata exchanges, inter-character sentimentality, and the overall characterisation
Summary
Too many fictional characters have been related to and felt for by readers for characters not to be considered remodelled representations of the human cognition. The notion that how characters feel towards each other is a direct result of what they say and do to each other makes it safe to assume that relationships between characters are in turn impacted by the speech and actions exchanged between them. In addition to their pivotal importance to characterisation, inter-character relations are a crucial element of narrative development. It is, after all, what occurs between characters that defines a major portion of most storylines.
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