Iconicity As A Product Of Metaphtonymy In Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye, Sula And Beloved
Iconicity is the similarity between form and meaning where it does not represent a rule but a principle in language in which it is considered a characteristic of textual rhetoric. This term is usually associated with the notion of sameness between signs and objects such as incidences of onomatopoeia...
Saved in:
| Summary: | Iconicity is the similarity between form and meaning where it does not represent a rule but a principle in language in which it is considered a characteristic of textual rhetoric. This term is usually associated with the notion of sameness between signs and objects such as incidences of onomatopoeia or when there is an analogy between the two components based on social and cultural orientations. Therefore, iconicity can be observed when there is a visual similarity between the sign and the object (mimesis) often manifested in imaginal iconicity. Additionally, iconicity can also be achieved when there is no sensuous similarity between signs and objects at the cognitive level or when there is an analogy in structures achieved in both diagrammatic and metaphorical iconicity. This research aims to describe how the principle of imitation suggests iconic perspective by demonstrating how the discursive form and the representational content in Morrison's three novels The Bluest Eye, Sula, and Beloved describe the term iconicity. Additionally, this study also discusses the various types of metaphors by suggesting different types of icons as it draws on the Lacanian theory that postulates that literary works are metaphorical and a product of a multi-semiotic system. The study also utilises Hiraga's model to discuss the interrelation between various types of metaphors and subtypes of iconicity including imaginal and diagrammatic iconicity in Morrison's novels. The artistic exploitation of linguistic values in this study can create a perceived connection between signs and objects, providing insights on the use of language in Morrison's selected novels that achieves iconicity through the exploitation of two common rhetorical devices: metaphor and metonymy. In the selected novels, the examination of iconic meaning can constitute social, cultural and historical dimensions, providing a deeper understanding of the context of publication and reception of these novels. Morrison's novels discuss the life of segregation and discrimination among African-Americans, providing an account concerning the socio-cultural dimensions of her race. The first novel The Bluest Eye (Morrison, 1970) incarnates the pain and trauma of racism by narrating the insights of an African-American protagonist who urges blue eyes to gain independence socio-culturally. The second novel, Sula (Morrison, 1973) which appealed more to the public earned a nomination for the National Book Award. It shed light on a controversial African-American woman who endeavours to break the traditional norms to gain independence. The third novel Beloved (Morrison, 1987) is thought of as one of her best novels, explores the dilemma of African-Americans during the period of slavery and in their quest for better socio-economic opportunities. Examining these three novels explores the function of language functions as a vehicle of socio-cultural issues, simultaneously serving as a source to describe the principles of iconicity and contributing to contemporary notions on voices of the marginalised and displaced. |
|---|