The stylistic analysis of the extract of the text “LITTLE SPECK IN GARNRED

FRUIT” by O’Henry

I would like to tell you a story “Little speck in garnered fruit” written by O. Henry.
William Sydney Porter (September 11, 1862 – June 5, 1910), known by his pen name O.
Henry, was an American writer. O. Henry's short stories are known for their wit,
wordplay, warm characterization and clever twist endings. None of his stories can leave
the reader cold blooded. All the stories have deep sense, make you debate a matter in
your mind and have a lot of humorous affects at the same time.
But the story I`ve read can`t make you burst of laughing. This story has very strong
background. At the first sight you don`t have enough to discuss but if you think a little
you`ll see that the story has a very profound meaning and make you feel proud of
people`s actions.
The text under analysis is titled “The last leaf”. This story is about bridegroom,
which has the honeymoon. Kid McGarry is boxer middle-weight, not knowing in the
ring unmatched, blissfully happy. He is ready to fulfill every wish of his young wife.
And when she said, that want to eat a peach. He gets up and goes for peaches. But the
Italian’s fruit-stand on the corner is not the peaches, only oranges, apples and bananas.
Abandoning oranges, the newlywed goes to the restaurant of his friend, but he is offered
only oranges.
The main idea is the following paragraph: “I love it when it is ours, is another name for
renunciation and sacrifice. When he refers to the people through the airshaft it means
arrogance and self-importance.” It seems to me, in these words feels a sense of self-
importance, narcissism and boundless power over his "beloved".
The extract was written from 3d person narrative. There are many dialogues of the
personages, which show for the reader relationships and mood between the main
characters of this extract.
The prevailing mood is sentimental, emotional, pathetic, a little bit ironical.
As for the vocabulary is neutral, with emotive lexicon, also there are some
foreignism useв in this extract. It is rather idiomatic emotional construction. In general,
sentences are short and rather laconic, because of the form dialogues. And all it helps to
became the text expressive. It is idiomatic construction of sentences can serve for
individual style.
The author uses a lot of colorful and vivid expressive means and stylistic devices
in this extract. The text contains lexical expressive means and stylistic devices which
used to achieve a particular effect in speech, to realize the aesthetic function of
language, to add an emotional coloring, to realize the individual manner of an author in
using the language.
The author employs epithets “rosy dreams”, “wan, sun-hungry bananas”, “nice
oranges”, “the coveted luscious guerdon of summer's golden prime”; metaphors “the
honeymoon was at its full”, “the coveted luscious guerdon of summer's golden prime”,
“the wonder of it was yet upon them”; metonymy “crossed her oxfords”, “tongue of
Dante” to show us color of the novel.
There are a lot of stylistic devices such as hyperboles “reddest of new carpets”,
“her feet resting upon the world”, welter-weight from London to the Southern Cross”,
“the crook of her little finger”, “Rome done up in tissue paper”; simile “with the air of
Cleopatra”, “said he, as coolly as though be were only agreeing to sign articles to fight
the champion of England.” In this phrases feel ironical attitude of the author towards
the heroes of the story.
Also we can find some periphrasis “right kind of people”; parallel constructions
“The honeymoon was at its full. The wonder of it was yet upon them.”; antithesis “Not
that it made any difference.”
The author uses stylistic devices such as enumerations “serious, shaven,
sentimental, and spry.”, “papered oranges, highly polished apples and wan, sun-hungry
bananas”; irony “the old woman”.
I like the extract “little speck in garnered fruit” written by O. Henry. Here is
described reality situation of life. I think every girl recognized herself. After reading
this part I want to read the whole story.