A Study of Characters’ Speech and Thought Presentation in Sidhwa’s Work Water: A Stylistic Analysis

Abstract

The present study aims at analyzing the speech modes and thought modes presentation in the novel Water (2006) by Sidhwa. The objectives of the study are to analyze the types and the quantitative distribution of the speech modes and thought modes presentation to reveal the characters in the selected novel Water (2006) by Sidhwa. The data has been collected after the close reading of the novel and then categorized according to the checklist of the Semino and Short (2004) model. The total number of 564 sentences extracted from the novel and out of which 520 are speech modes presentations and 44 are the thought modes presentations. The mixed methodology has been used in the present study. The present study carried out by using the Semino and Short (2004) model of speech modes and thought modes presentation for the analysis. The findings of the study have represented that DS and FDS have been analyzed the most occurring speech presentations in the novel which revealed that the author has given the authority to the characters. The characters speech modes presentation represented as the dominant in the novel. The IS of speech modes presentation has not been analyzed in the extracts of novel. The thought modes presentations have been analyzed as least occurred in the extracts of novel. The FIT has been analyzed as the most occurring thought modes presentations in the extracts of the novel which represented that the narrator has represented the ongoing thoughts in the minds of the characters. The future implications has been given as the comparative study of all speech modes and thoughts can be done and of male and female characters can also be carried out by using Semino and Short (2004) model.