Metaphor as a Basis of Aesthetic Value of a Fictional Text (On the Material of the English-Language Short Story)

Abstract

The article focuses on the specific features of metaphor functioning in a fictional text, particularly in the English-language short story. The paper comprises the review of the concepts which reveal the metaphor nature, its peculiarities and main functions as well as traditional classifications which are based on different criteria for certain metaphor types division. The pragmastylistic analysis of the ways of metaphor realization has been conducted on the material of the English-language short story. The role of metaphor in a fictional text in general and in the English-language short story in particular has been defined. It has also been proved that the English-language short story contains such types of metaphor as conventional and fictional metaphor, simple and extended metaphor, hyperbole and litotes, personification, anthropomorphism, zoomorphism and objectification. Metaphor is characterized by originality and close connection with context; it reflects the author’s image and personal style, specific national, cultural and social features. With the help of metaphors authors underline uniqueness of certain persons, objects or phenomena by comparing them with other persons, objects or phenomena on the basis of some common feature. In the course of the research it has been found that aesthetic value of a fictional text increases, figurativeness and expressiveness of speech intensifies, readers’ associative thinking develops and pragmatic impact is exerted on recipients due to metaphor functioning.