International Journal of Language & Linguistics

Towards the Interpretation of Some Symbols in “Winesburg, Ohio” by Sherwood Anderson
Mariami Zedelashvili

Abstract
This paper examines the essence and significance of symbols in “Winesburg, Ohio”, a short story collection by Sherwood Anderson. More precisely, the study explores the link between the emergence of symbols and Gricean maxims of manner, quantity, quality and relation. It has been revealed that in the work under discussion the pragmatic loading of one and the same symbol varies from passage to passage. Four basic functions of the symbols employed by Anderson have been stated; the symbols (a) reveal a character‟s emotional state; (b) set the overall mood in the stories; (c) hint at upcoming unfolding of the text; (d) serve as a clue for interpreting different parts of the text.

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