Stylistic Analysis Of Cultural Hybridity In Zadie Smith’s Novels

Literary stylistics, or stylistics in the restricted sense, focuses on the applicationof the theories and methodology of linguistics in the study of style of literary works. Itaims at the reinforcement of thematic significance and appreciation of aesthetic valueof the writings. Zadie Smith, a young Jamaican-British female writer, is representativeof postcolonial writing about immigrants in the society of the new millennium. Sheexplores questions of race and cultural hybridity in her novels and has established herposition in literary world with her keen observation, profound theme, smart languageand adroit writing technique. Her novels are generally highly praised and havereceived many awards. They manifest the theme of cultural hybridity not only incontent but also in form, which can be better illustrated and enhanced through stylisticanalysis. Stylistic analysis is not limited to a particular model, but makes the choiceaccording to the practical need of analysis. In addition to the conventionalforegrounded linguistic features, style of narration and contextual factors are ofparticular importance to the understanding of the theme. With the emergence of newtheories in linguistics, stylistic analysis of the novels can be made from perspectivessuch as pragmatics and sociolinguistics that supplement the traditional ones.Chapter One and Chapter Two give the general introductions to stylistics, ZadieSmith and her novels. Chapter One summarizes the definitions of style and stylistics,and the scope of stylistic analysis, including levels on phonology/graphology, lexis,syntax, semantics and discourse. Except for the traditional linguistic levels, point ofview and discourse presentation, which are relevant to the style of narration, are ofgreat significance in stylistic analysis of the themes in fiction. It briefly explains therelation between context and fiction, stylistics and literary appreciation, emphasizingthe complementary relationship between linguistics and literary criticism. It finally raises the purpose of the study and organization of the dissertation. Chapter Twointroduces the London-born mixed-race writer Zadie Smith and her representativenovels, White Teeth, The Autograph Man, and On Beauty. It summarizes the readers’responses to the three novels and the critics’ commentary and remarks on the social,thematic and aesthetic values revealed in them, and explains the major themes ofmulticulturalism, identity and cultural hybridity with the last being the focus of studyin this dissertation.Chapter Three to Chapter Five are stylistic analysis of cultural hybridity fromthree particular aspects. Chapter Three expounds on the theme of cultural hybridityfrom the perspective of language use by studying the strikingly deviant features insound patterns, vocabulary and grammar, which are a mixture of Cockney, JamaicanCreole and youth language. There is not only a mixture of different varieties existingin the society, but also a blend within the speech of a particular character, showing ahybridized application of linguistic features. Chapter Four makes the analysis fromthe style of narration in Zadie Smith’s novels by examining the point of view,discourse presentation, and tone of narration. Her novels should be regarded as amixture of realism, modernism, and postmodernism. It illustrates the features of acombination of realism and modernism in structure and writing style, while thethemes represent more of postmodernism, by which the author does not entailcertainty in the outlook of the future. In a humorous and satirical tone, the hybridnarrative style further strengthens the theme of hybridity in the novels. Chapter Fiveputs the novels in the context of postcolonialism. It explores how social reality,history, and the background of the author exert influence on the thematic meaning ofthe novels. Although racialism is not explicitly stated, the reader can perceive it in thenovels; however, the author provides the reader with a prospect of sameness in themulticultural society. The author centers on the impact of the past on the present andfuture, pointing out that the past cannot predetermine the present and future, nor can itbe avoided or neglected. The author also makes use of some symbols to enhance theappreciation of the theme of hybridity. By integrating the linguistic features ofvocabulary, sentence patterns, rhetorical devices, as well as the pragmatic and sociolinguistic analysis into the analysis of the development of the plot and thedepiction of the characters and details, the writer of this dissertation advances theargument that cultural hybridity exists in every aspect of social life.The Conclusion summarizes how the theme of cultural hybridity is conveyed andreinforced from the perspective of stylistic analysis. It restates how it is different fromthe previous studies done in literary criticism and emphasizes the function of thestudy in helping to expand the scope of stylistic research and provide methodologyand material in language study. It finally points out the limitations of the present study,the directions and the fields of further research.