Toward a pragmatics for literary interpretation

Abstract

Application of Searle's speech act theory (1979) and Labov and Fanshel's pragmatic theory (1977) to Manuel Puig's Kiss of the Spider Woman suggests that a pragmatics relevant to literary interpretation should include both formal rules and general principles of conversation. Searle's rule-based speech act theory proves particularly useful in explaining meta-conversational comments and communication breakdowns, and in identifying patterns of language use which lead to relevant character-related questions. Modified for the fictional context under consideration, Labov and Fanshel's theory describes the character traits and interactions motivating meta-conversational comments and communication breakdowns. In addition, Labov and Fanshel's process of identifying “recurring themes” for characters points to the need for a set of principles for the interpretation of fictional dialogue extended throughout a text, a need which may be met by extending Grice's Cooperative Principle (1989) to lengthy or multiple conversations. Application of Searle's and Labov and Fanshel's theories also points to the need to identify the types of contexts and conventions surrounding character interactions, and to take these into account when interpreting dialogue.