A narrative discourse analysis of short story Soldier’s Home by Ernest Hemingway: A micro and macro-structural narrative analysis

Muhammad Hammad  Hussain Shah; Faiza  Hashmi; Waiza  Azhar; Ushba Rasool

doi:10.59400/lf.v1i1.1390

Muhammad Hammad Hussain Shah Emerson University Multan, Multan 60000, Pakistan
Faiza Hashmi Emerson University Multan, Multan 60000, Pakistan
Waiza Azhar Emerson University Multan, Multan 60000, Pakistan
Ushba Rasool Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 45001, China

Ariticle ID: 1390

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.59400/lf.v1i1.1390

Keywords: discourse analysis; Paltridge’s model; perceptions; fears; desires

Abstract

This article employs narrative discourse analysis to analyze Ernest Hemingway’s “Soldier’s Home” by using two narrative analysis frameworks that focus on the Macrostrucre and Microstructure aspects of the story. This analysis has been chosen to explain and understand that stories are not merely a sequence of events but as mirrors reflecting the intricacies of our own psyche, inviting us to confront our fears, desires, and the enigmatic depths of human nature and how lexical resources are deployed to express them. In exploring both structural and psychoanalytical dimensions of a story, we embark on a journey that transcends the pages of literature and resonates within the corridors of our consciousness, urging us to contemplate the narratives that shape our perceptions. The analysis covers the story’s generic structure using Paltridge’s model of schematic structure (2000), thematic nuances, psychoanalysis and lexico-grammatical cohesion. Findings show that the writer follows a series of structural moves and uses a variety of narrative strategies (e.g. high level of involvement and a wide range of lexical and grammatical cohesive ties) which contribute to the creation of a well-formed text that has effectively achieved its purpose and made its intended effect. The study aims to unveil the intricate structural and linguistic choices contributing to the meaning and impact of “Soldier’s Home” and the simple writing approach that Hemmingway has utilized to write this story.

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