Stylistics

PRESENTED BY : SAHIL AKHTER

PRESENTED TO : MISS SEHAR JABEEN EJAZ
ROLL NO : 19051
B . S E N G L I S H L I T E R AT U R E & L I N G U I S T I C S
SEMESTER 2ND
SECTION B
EVENING
 EXAMPLES

How do linguistic features reveal the

connotative and denotative meanings
of texts?
 A RT IC L E
EXAMPLE #1
 A RT IC L E
EXAMPLE # 1

Highlight character descriptions

D E N O TAT I V E A N D C O N N O TAT I V E
MEANING

“quirky, funny fairy godmother”

“who would stand on her head”

“tell spooky stories round the campfire”

D E N O TAT I V E A N C O N N O TAT I V E
MEANING

Denotative Connotative

•quirky: having a peculiar trait •quirky: odd, but in a fun way

•fairy : an imaginary creature •fairy godmother: an imaginary

•godmother: a woman who woman in fairytales who grants

sponsors a baby at baptism.

wishes.

•stand on head : to balance with •stand on head: seems funny to

your head on the ground while your me; it also may have been unheard

feet are in the air. of in a time when women were

supposed to be more formal.
D E N O TAT I V E A N C O N N O TAT I V E
MEANING

Denotative Connotative

•spooky stories: a story about •spooky stories: stories like

ghosts. were wolves or vampires.
N E W S PA P E R A R T I C L E
EXAMPLE # 2

Newspaper Article on Lewis

Hines
Newspaper Article; Lewis and his
Work (2013)

 Harrowing images of children

as young as three forced to do
back-breaking work in fields,
factories and mines.
C O N N O TAT I V E A N D D E N O TAT I V E
MEANING

Denotative Connotative

•Lew is Hines capture children Lewis Hines real legacy is the

at work in fields, mines, collection of pictures he took of

children in factories, fields and
factories or making a living on
sweetshops, which highlighted the
the street.
appalling conditions they were
made to work in at the beginning
of the 20th century.
C A RTO O N I S T
EXAMPLE # 3

Title: “Nightmare Waiting

List”

Cartoonist: David Low

September, 1938.
C O N N O TAT I V E A N D D E N O TAT I V E
MEANING
Denotative
oHitler in full uniform striking a
pose.
oHitler holding a paper/ poster.
oGrim Reapers holding placards
expressing crises and Germans are
everywhere.
Connotative
oHitler is being aggressive, striking
fear in us.
oHitler has the idea to rule
Germans wherever in the world
they live. He may be using this
excuse to conquer the world.
oGrim reapers represent death.
 POEM
EXAMPLE # 4

The Sun Rising by John Donne

C O N N O TAT I V E A N D D E N O TAT I V E
MEANING

Denotative Connotative

The speaker describes his He is creating a connotation that he

and the person he loves are wealthier
lover as “all states” and he as
than both. They have everything that
“all princes”
a prince who lords over lands owns,
and are happy because of it.. Speaker
also suggesting that the two have no
need for money or power.
 POEM
EXAMPLE # 5

Out, Out by Robert Frost

C O N N O TAT I V E A N D D E N O TAT I V E
MEANING

Denotative Connotative

The poet uses the word life to It connotes the importance of
refer to blood that undoubtly containing the injury and
pouring forth from boy’s arm ensuring the boy doesn’t lose
where his hand used to be. so much “life” that he dies.
 P L AY
EXAMPLE # 6

The Merchant Of Venice by William Shakespeare

In Act 2 Scene 5, Antonio speaks the following words:

C O N N O TAT I V E A N D D E N O TAT I V E
MEANING

Denotative Connotative

Antonio uses “gentle Jew” The word Christian in text

sarcastically, suggesting that he connotes kindness while the
actually feels exactly the opposite.
word Jew connotes cruelly and
When Shylock exists between the
wickedness.
two lines, he makes a comment
about Christianity and those who
are Christian, being inherent kind.
 POEM TITLE
EXAMPLE # 7

The Road Not Taken By:

Robert Frost
C O N N O TAT I V E A N D D E N O TAT I V E
MEANING

Denotative Connotative

•The poet refers to an actual • The road symbolizes the

road which has not been journey of life that all
travelled on as much as other humans travel on from the
roads. The road shows less day they are born.
wear and tear because fewer
travellers have chosen to take
that road.
 ADVERTISEMENT
EXAMPLE # 8

Pepsi Denotative & Connotative meaning

 Denotative: Pepsi
surrounded by athletes.
 Connotative: Pepsi provides
one with the strength like an
athlete and the power like
that of a strong individual.
 ADVERTISEMENT
EXAMPLE #9

Wal-Mart Denotative & Connotative meaning

Denotative: Miley Cyrus’ clothes are

sold in Wal-Mart for affordable prices.
Connotative: Utilizing Miley as the
endorser of the clothing line suggests
that everyone buying her line would be
living like her, looking like her and
appearing like her.
 SONG
EXAMPLE # 10

When Doves Cry by Prince

 Denotative:

The literal and the dictionary meaning is when the birds cry.
 Connotative:

With a huge passion for symbolism, the clues seem very obvious. Doves
crying is actually a symbol that means things are changing from bad to good,
a prophecy that whatever you’re going through is coming to an end.
 SONG
E X A M P L E # 11

My heart will go on- Celine Dion Denotative & connotative meaning

Denotative: It means love is forever.

No matter the outcomes it does not
waver. It continues to go on and on
beyond the boundaries of space and
time.
Connotative: Writer uses imagery to
create a visual impact of singer’s
dream and her beloved. Love is
personified in 3rd line.
 SONG
EXAMPLE # 12

Fly Me To The Moon- Frank Sinatra Denotative & connotative meaning

•Denotative: It is centered on the singer

being deeply in love.
•Connotative: In first three lines, the
singer uses hyperbole. He exaggerates
the facts and wishes to fly to the moon
and play in the stars. He also believes
that there are seasons like spring on the
planets Jupiter and Mars.
 MOVIE POSTERS
EXAMPLE # 13

Marvel Comics

 Company’s movie poster

D E N O TAT I V E A N D C O N N O TAT I V E
MEANING

Denotative Connotative

It is representation of what It represents the myth relates

people see in this movie poster to the feeling or emotion of the
such as the image of one man reader and the value of its
and one giant. The of man and culture and ideology.
giant is back to each other.
 BRAND
EXAMPLE # 14

Band- Aid: Flexible Fabric Denotation: Band-Aid is brand of

adhesive bandage with gauze pad in
the center, used to cover injury and
cuts.
Connotation: This amusing ad shows
that this Band-Aid doesn't even snap
on the finger of Hulk who is the center
of this image. It works because its is
more flexible.