STYLISTIC DEVICES

Lexical stylistic means and expressive devices are metaphors, epithets, similes, periphrasis and others.

The author uses epithets merely for description of characters and for readers to understand the characters better. For example : “ … gave her the incredulous, pitying, sneering, icy stare…”, the epithets are used here to intensify the way she looked on heroine. Here I can draw your attention to the choice of vocabulary as well, the author uses “ stare” but not “look” – it shows the emotional coloring. Another instance is: “ …full of tender, whimsical fancies…”, is used to show us the girls inner world brighter. Or, “ hideous and culpable poverty” also an epithet used to emphasize the power of poverty.

As for the metaphors they are used merely to identify roles in the story, for example “ …Mr. Parker be a cicerone…”, it is used to show the function of character.

The story is full of similes, which are used to create ironic setting and descriptions. For instance: “ Its four bare walls seemed to close in upon you like the sides of a coffin”, is used for intensification of readers imagination, for making them feel involved. Or “ … smiling in exactly the way the angels do..”, to make the image of a girl complete. Another instance is “ …a cloud of smoke like an aerial cuttlefish..”, used to render the general mood of the story. Also I can say about such an example: “Billy Jackson look like the big diamond pin that Night fastens her kimono with”. Here the author uses simile to  show the beauty and significance of that star to the heroine. But here we can see the example of personification as well, “Might” is personified, author treats her as a person, to emphasize her participation in the lives of characters.

Moreover, O’Henry uses periphrasis, as in “ Clara” is replaced by “ dark goblin”, to show the main heroines impression of a woman.

O’Henry uses allusions from Greek Myths, for instance: “ … the train of Momus..” – when the author told about fat Mr. Hoover, Momus, according to Greek myths is the god of blame and mockery. In such a way he wants us to see that for this God, fat Mr. Hoover is the best choice.

The other case of allusion is “Erebus of the skylight room…”, Erebus us also a thing from Greek Myths, which is considered to be the personification of darkness. The author shows the darkness of the room and the moment, when main heroine merely died of starvation.

The case of meiosis (a very little woman) emphasizes the insignificance of her physical condition, showing her weakness against the strong problems.

As for the syntactical means, here the author used ellipsis, climax aposiopesis, polysyndeton, repetitions and others.

As for the polysyndeton, it is used in the story to reveal the atmosphere and involve readers in it. For example: “ … her description of their adventures and of the merits and of the gentleman who..” it is like intensification of the authors idea. Also, we can dwell on another instance, “ … ant the slapping of wrists and burnt feathers..” also creates a special atmosphere, ironic one for sure.

The author uses repetition, to show his attitude and show his own emotions as for this or that moment. For instance: “ Hoover, forty-five, flush and foolish … Hoover, forty-five, flush and foolish”, it is used to show author’s irritation and disgust about this character.

Talking about phonetic stylistic devices I can say about alliteration, like in “ foutry-five, fat, flush and foolish” – is used to intensify the authors attitude.