Stylistic analysis of the text

O’Henry “The Green Door”

O’ Henry is one of the best American short story writers. He began writing in the prison. O’Henry’s stories possess a distinctiveness of style and structure. His stories have always unexpected turns and surprise endings based on their coincidence and are full of humor.

Précis. The text under our consideration is about a young man who always tried to find different adventures. His search of adventures lead him to the ridiculous situations. He was given a card in the street and was interested in this card very much expecting a great adventure. He had experienced a lot of feelings and thoughts until he cleared up the mystery of the card. Besides, he realized Fate in his life.

It is written in the style of fiction. It is a narration with the bits of the dialogue. Composition of the text consists of the introduction, the story itself and the very end. The story is written from the point of view of the author who gives a direct characterization of the main personage. The text is highly plotted. It can be divided into 3 parts: “Rudolf”, “Unexpected meeting” and “The green door”. The text is written in a merry and cheerful key.

Part 1.

Rudolf Steiner is a person entirely different from others. He always gets into humorous situations and he tries to find them to make his life more interesting.

One day he notices a Negro distributing the cards. Rudolf was given a card too. He was interested in the inscription on it. And he decided to clear up the point.

At first, the author gives Rudolf’s direct characteristic. He was trustful and an absent-minded person. He has always been a victim of the swindlers. To point out it the author uses a metaphor on the background of the oxymoron, thus it creates an ironical effect. This effect is intensified by epithet that emphasizes Rudolf’s trustfulness and simplicity.

Every evening he went out to search of some adventures. It is seen from the following stylistic devices – inversion and repetition – which produce a significant effect. And he really looked for the humorous situations. It is proved through his manner of walking. To describe it the author resorts to the special choice of words: “strolling”, “moved” and zeugma – ironical effect.

Rudolf attention was attracted by the inscription on the card – “The green door”. It was the dentist card. On the other side of it he found dentist’s name and his schedule. The inscription “The green door” was more important for him than the other information about the dentist. To prove it the author uses the periphrasis that is given from Rudolf’s point of view. It’s function here is to produce the ironical effect.

Part 2.

To clear up the point Rudolf decided to follow the address that was indicated on the card. He came up to the building which seemed extraordinary to him. All the signs of the house express unusualness and expectations of something unknown. The description of the house is based on zeugma with the support of metaphor and epithet - the powerful effect. Rudolf was sure of the fact that desirable adventure was just in that very place. He entered the house. The only door which was lighted was the green door. Different thoughts mixed in his mind. What expected him behind this door? Here the author bursts with emotions: to make the situation more vivid the author resorts to the original metaphor, the epithet and asyndeton. It produces a powerful effect.

Part 3.

But whom he saw was entirely different from anybody he had expected to meet. He saw a girl looking very ill. Her appearance impressed him very much – she was rather pretty. To describe her appearance the author used a number of stylistic devices: zeugma, epithet, simile. Their function here is to underline her weakness and unprotection. Rudolf got to know that she had lost her job and her family. He decided to help her. When he left her he discovered the fact that all the doors in that corridor were green. This fact struck him to the core. The author describes his perplexity with the help of genuine metaphor – the powerful effect. Rudolf decided to go to the Negro again and asked him about the card. The Negro explained that “The Green Door” was a title of the play that was going on in the theatre. Moreover, he had to distribute the cards among the dentists. No things were so impotent for Rudolf but the girl he had found with the help of the card. He believed it was Fate that helped him to find her. To describe the situation more vivid and expressive the author resorts to the periphrasis and the metaphor. It produces a strong emotional effect.

This story creates a great impression by the narrative and the style of the author as well. It teaches us to believe in love and in Fate.

Дата добавления: 2015-11-14