A Linguistic Stylistic Analysis Of Chukwuemeka Ike's Novels

Abstract

This work is a linguistic stylistic study of Chukwuemeka Ike’s novels. It involves a rigorous analysis and synthesis that examine how a special configuration of language has been used in the realization of a particular subject matter, quantifying all the linguistic means that coalesced to achieve a special aesthetic purpose. These linguistic means as applied here to Ike’s novels include how, through a network of lexical selection (diction), the various tones in the texts are revealed; how the stylistically significant phrasal and clausal typology, sentence structures and punctuation patterns have combined to produce the aesthetics of the novels under study. The linguistic means also extend to paragraph structure and other linguo-literary schemes Ike used for the internal ordering of the message structure in each of the novels. In undertaking this research, we have relied on primary and secondary sources. An intensive research into related published works and internet material helped to provide adequate theoretical framework, which paved the way for the application of linguistic standards to the novels. Ike’s lexical selection delivers the message of the novels in spite of the presence of native words, some idiosyncratic coinages and his flair for neologistic style. His clausal nesting, even when it appears heavy, does not blur comprehension; it is woven to match the prevailing situations in the stories. Truncated sentence patterns signal fast movement of scenes. Thus, Chukwuemeka Ike has established himself as a prolific writer with great aptitude for presenting the socio-cultural and political themes of his novels with amazing flexibility and linguistic dexterity.