An Analysis of Selected Linguistic Strategies Used to Evoke Moral Judgments, Emotions and Attitudes with the Audience of 300.

Abstract

Literature has the power to influence its audience to establish different attitudes towards its characters and elements. This study examines the linguistic strategies that are employed in doing so. A case study, in the form of a close reading of the graphic novel 300 was performed, taking note of the five most frequent rhetorical devices and analyzing these with Sanford & Emmott's (2012) model of Rhetorical Framework Processing. These rhetorical strategies are also compared with the film adaptation of the graphic novel to see whether or not the strategy is retained, and how it differs from the graphic novel. The five rhetorical devices qualifying for analysis (bold text formatting, text box layout, repetition, anaphora and metaphor) showed the importance of foregrounding narrative elements to lead the audience into selected emotional attitudes beneficial to the telling of the story. The importance of different modalities of literature is roblematized, and it is discussed as to whether a higher number of modalities can provide for a richer story. Furthermore, some sociolinguistic theory is relevant as playing an important part in the experiencing of literature, with focus in this study given to the audience's implementation of stereotypes in listening to a voice.