| The narrative device called "free indirect discourse" (FID) has received attention from literary scholars interested in narrative because it uses certain syntactic forms to produce a subjective report of speech or thought. This thesis takes a strictly linguistic approach, making use of findings in pragmatics and sociolinguistics. Goffman (1981) contributes a theory of "footing" in which a speaker can adjust the "alignment" with an utterance. Levinson (1988) revises Goffman's participation roles to reflect the more complex reality of the speaker/hearer dyad. This thesis argues that FID's unique form and interpretation might be better explained within the language paradigm of speaker and hearer if Levinson's revisions of Goffman's framework are adopted. An analysis of Annie Proulx's short story collection Close Range supports the claim that free indirect discourse in literature constitutes a shift in speaker footing. Using Levinson's terms, it is posited that in standard narration an "author" transmits to an "audience." In free indirect discourse, though, the fictional character in question acts as a "formulator," who is understood by an "overhearer," the reader. |
