PRAGMATICS IN COMMUNICATION: A STUDY OF DIALOGUE AND INTERACTION IN GOTHIC LITERATURE WITH A FOCUS ON TWILIGHT
Abstract
This article examines the role of pragmatics in communication within Gothic literature, using Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight as a case study. Pragmatics, which explores how context shapes meaning in dialogue, is central to understanding how Twilight builds tension, ambiguity, and emotional depth. By analyzing key conversations, this study highlights the use of implicature in Edward and Bella’s interactions, where unspoken meanings convey their complex relationship; politeness strategies in the Cullen family’s dialogue, which maintain harmony despite their supernatural nature; and speech acts like threats, which heighten the novel’s suspense. These pragmatic techniques reinforce Twilight’s Gothic themes of forbidden love, danger, and the unknown. The findings demonstrate how pragmatic communication drives the narrative and enhances its atmospheric tension, offering insights into the interplay between language and genre. This study bridges linguistic and literary analysis, showcasing how modern Gothic texts like Twilight use pragmatics to innovate within the genre while staying true to its traditional elements.
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References
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