The Stylistic Potential of Allusive Elements in the Novel “Chocolat” by Joanne Harris

Abstract

The article is devoted to the description of the main types and stylistic potential of allusive elements in the novel “Chocolat” by the contemporary British author Joanne Harris. Allusion as a stylistic device is considered in the context of the theory of intertextuality and is interpreted as one of the leading methods of reproducing "another voice" in a literary text. The author concludes that the allusion is distinguished by the conscious use and requires unambiguous understanding and interpretation. The practical part of the study presents a description of the stylistic device of allusion in terms of the type and source of allusive borrowing, its main functions in the text under study. The analysis allows us to conclude that the allusion actualizes mainly the concepts of precedent texts and precedent phenomena. The main functions of allusive elements are explanatory, evaluative, and those of characterization and creating imagery.