Discursive –semiotics criticism of Personification as a process in literary discourse: A case study of “a bunch of flowers” by Choobak’.

Document Type : Research

Authors

1 Professor in linguistics and semiotics, Director of French language in Tarbiat Modarres University, Tehran, Iran.

2 science and research branch of islamic azad university , department of linguistics , tehran, iran

Abstract

Attributing human traits to non-human entities is traditionally described as personification. In this article, we set out to go beyond the limits of this definition. We hypothesized that personification is a process which is formed by many factors in a context and without considering these factors, we can’t draw an appropriate conclusion which matches with the real nature of discourse. A short-Persian story entitled” a bunch of flowers”, by Choobak, a famous Iranian writer, was chosen to be analyzed on the basis of discursive-semiotics, to show how the process of personification forms. It was estimated that manipulative and tensive-function, adversative process and protension factor affect the formation of the process of personification. At last, the results supported our hypothesis. Our findings revealed that the process has a minimal and a maximal side. This article tries to show that personification forms as a process within a text and there are many factors which help this formation happen. While the process of personification is taking place, an object can manipulate the subject in a way that leads the subject to become more and more passive and lose his abilities as a human. The object gradually puts the subject in a position that he has no humanistic trait such as the power to choose, the power to act or even think. We have to consider that there are many linguistic factors playing crucial roles in this process. In the story, we showed how a letter as an object gets personified and the reader of the letter as a human gets depersonified. This is why we considered this process as a two sided axis. The human whose humanistic traits decreases gets near to the minimum side of axis and the letter whose humanistic abilities increases gets closer to the maximum side. We also tried to go further than the traditional description of personification to show how it works and to prove that there are many linguistic factors which are important in forming the process of personification. In the story, the reader is threatened and he loses his ability to control and think just because of the words and sentences in the letter. Finally he finds himself in a situation that the letter has the power to control him and even it is able to kill him. It should once again be emphasized that personification cannot take place without a context.

Keywords

References

 
Asiabadi, Ali (2007)."Personification in Hafez   Poetry".Humanitarian and Literature University. No. 52- 53. pp.11-134. [In Persian]
Ayati, A. (2014)."The Discursive Semiosemantic Study of a Poem by Nima Yushij". Jastarhaye Adabi. No.1. pp.105-123. [In Persian]
Badvi, A. (1947).Alensaniyah val Vojudiya fi Fekr al Arabi: Mesr. [In Arabic]
Baramaki, A. & G. Falah (2014)."Reconstructing the Emotional Meaning in the Process of Discourse in Rostam and Sohrab on the Basis of Semiosemantic Framework”. Jastarhaye Zabani. No. 4. pp.54-66. [In Persian]
Chubak, S. (2006). The First Day in the Tomb. Jamedaran:Tehran. [In Persian]
Cuddon, J.A. (1992). A Dictionary of Literary Terms.Tabriz: Chehr.
Davarpanah, A. (2008)."Personification in Shams Poetry”. Pazhuheshgah Olum Ensani. No. 63-64. pp. 294-324. [In Persian]
De Gruyter, W. (2008). The Powers of Personification.Berlin: Walter De Gruyter   GmbH& Co. KG,D, 10785.
Dirk, G.  Mouton de Gruyter (2006). Cognitive Linguistics. Berlin: Walter De Gruyter.  GmbH& Co. KG,D, 10785.
Esmaili, E. & E. Kanani (2013)."The Emotive Structure Study of Ghazal for Sunflower by Shafi Kadkani on the Basis of Semiosemantic Framework".Pazhuheshhaye Adabi. No. 36-37. pp.9-33. [In Persian]
Fazeli, M. & M. Alizadekolur (2016)."The Emotive System of Discourse in a Poet by Shafi Kadkani on the Basis of Semiosemantic Framework”. Jastarhay e Zabani. No.1. pp.205-228. [In Persian]
Fontanille, J. (1999). Sémiotique et Littérature. Paris: Essais  de Méthode. PUF.
Gray, M. (1986). A Dictionary of Literary Terms. England:  Longman.
Greimas, A. J. (2011). Imperfection of Meaning.Elm:Tehran.Translator: Hamidreza Shairi. [In Persian]
Hamilton, A. CH. (1990). The Spenser Encyclopedia.London: University of           Toronto.
Hatefi, M. (2010)."Semiosemantic Study of the Relation between Images and Words in Literary Works”. Tarbiat Modares University: Tehran. [In Persian]
Hemati, A. (2005)."Personification in Savoji’s Poetry". Keyhanfarhangi. No. 213. pp.60-65. [In Persian]
Iranpoormaman, F. (2011)."Personification in Shafi Kadkani’s Poetry”. Roshde Amuzesh Zaban Adab Farsi. pp.62-70. [In Persian]
Kazazi, M. (2003). Expression, Aesthetic Study of Persian Expressions. Markaz:Tehran. [In Persian]
Khalida, M. (2013). The Use of Personification in George Orwell’s   Novel             . Animal Farm. Dissertation. Ouargla: Kasdi MerbahUniversity.        
Madi, A. (1993)."The Study of Images in Haft Peykar by Nezami". Farhang. No. 10. pp.331-408. [In Persian]
Majdi, V. (1974). Mojam Mostalahat al Adabekelizi Frensi Arabi: Beirut. [In Arabic]
Perrine, L. (1974) . Literature (Poetry the Elements of Poetry). New York:   Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc.
Poushaneh, A. (2013). "Value System in Ethique Discourse: Based on the                            Road Story". Nameye Naqhd.  A Collection of Papers at the 2nd National Iranian Symposium on LiteraryTheory and Criticism. vol 2.  Hamidreza Shairi.Tehran: Book Home. pp:463-488. [In Persian]
Priminger, A. (1969). The Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics. U.S.A.: Princeton.
Safa, P. (2002)." Aspect and its Roles in Language".Tarbiat Modares University: Tehran. No .23. pp. 11-97.  [In Persian]
Shairi, H. (2006). Discursive Semiosemantic Analysis. Samt: Tehran. [In Persian]
Shairi, H. (2010)."From Formative Semiosis to Discursive       Semiosemantics".Faslname Naghde Adabi. No. 8. pp.33-51. [In Persian]
Shairi, Hamidreza & Tarane Vafayi (2010). A Way to Abstract Semiosemantic, A Case Study of Ghoghnus by Nima. Elmi Farhangi: Tehran. [In Persian]
Shairi, H. & D. Aryana (2012)."The Continuance of Meaning in Fourty Letters to my Wife by Nader Ebrahimi". Faslname Naghd Adabi. No. 1. pp.161-185. [In Persian]
Shairi, H. & S. Kariminejad (2013). "A Case study of Dashakol by Hedayat on the Basis of Presence System”. Motaleat Zaban va Tarjome. No. 3. pp. 24-45. [In Persian]
Shairi, H. (2015)." Semiosemantic study of Identity and Fashion”.Tarbiat Modares University. Under publishing: Tehran. [In Persian].
Shairi, H. (2017). Semiosemantic in Literature: Theory and Practical Discourse Analysis.Tarbiat Modares University: Tehran. [In Persian]
Shafi Kadkani, M. (1992). Images in Persian poetry.Agah: Tehran. [In Persian]
Shafi Kadkani, M. (1994). Images in Persian Poetry. Agah: Tehran. [In Persian]
Shamisa, S. (1995). Expression. Ferdos: Tehran. [In Persian]
Walter, G. (2008).  The Power of Personification. Gmbh& Co. KG,D:10785-Berlin: Germany.
ZABANPAZHUHI (Journal of Language Research)
Volume 9, Issue 25
February 2018
Pages 25-58

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics