The text under study is a piece of belles-lettres writing, namely “To Let” (Part Two, chapter III “Meetings”) written by famous British writer John Galsworthy. The events of the text are set in Robin Hill, the country estate of the Forsyte family in Sussex, England.
The events of the text are presented in the form of the author`s narration with insertions of dialogues. The narration is done mostly in the third person singular, for example “They reached the coppice at the milking hour”. These forms of presentation interrelate with description. They overlap and run together. We also observe description in the middle of the text (for example: “It was love-in-a-mist − one of those illumined pages of Life, where every word and smile, and every light touch they gave each other were as little gold and red and blue butterflies and flowers and birds scrolled in among the text”). Through the dialogues the characters are portrayed better. It also brings the action nearer to the reader, makes it more intense. Also the author uses the author’s remarks and the author’s narration. The story is written in the form of narration interrupted only by the author’s “he said”, “she said”, and “he blurted out”.
The main character of the story is Jon whose emotional state is the most prominently portrayed in the text. There are also supporting characters, such as his beloved Fleur, along with his parents, Jolyon and Irene, who were deeply upset that Jon concealed his relationship with Fleur, although they remained composed. The characters are drawn both implicitly and explicitly. Fleur was very patient, quiet and restrained, it is seen from the statement “How self-possessed she was!”. Jon’s mother Irene was very gracious, her manner of behaviour was impersonal and reserved when she saw her son with Fleur: “The expression of his mother's eyes, resting on him for a moment, cast Jon down level with the ground − a true worm. And John loved both”. Fleur and Irene very much, they were “the two beings he loved most in the world”.
Since the text under analysis belongs to belles-lettres functional style, both types of information can be elicited from it, namely, the factual and the conceptual ones.
In terms of its factual information, the text can be divided into four logically complete parts.
The first logically complete part starts from the beginning of the text and ends with the words “They travelled in blissful silence holding each other's hands”, introduces the reader into the subject matter of the text, namely an episode when the author depicts the new characters, Jon and his beloved Fleur, who decided to go to Robin Hill in order to see Jon’s house from the distance.
The second logically complete part focuses on the description of their path from the station to the coppice with the gardens and the house itself beyond. The author also mentioned that it was the most wonderful time for Jon that lasted for thirty-seven minutes and was full of many pleasant feelings for both of them. This part of the text begins with the words “At the station they saw no one except porters” and ends with the words “only to where she could see the field leading up to the gardens, and the house beyond”.
The third logically complete part provides the information about the unexpected meeting with Irene. This part of the text begins with the words “They turned in among the larches, and suddenly, at the winding of the path, came on Irene, sitting on an old log seat” and ends with the words “the two beings he loved most in the world”. In this part the author depicts the conversation between Irene and Fleur, containing the invitation Fleur for tea. There were also revealed Jon’s distressing feelings and the anxiety which he began to feel after the meeting of her mother and anticipating a serious conversation waiting for him at home.
The concluding logically complete part depicts the acquaintance of Fleur with the father of the family, Jolyon, and Jon’s hesitation about the further meeting with Fleur after that meeting.
In my opinion the conceptual information of the present text can be formulated in the following way: in order to love a person, sometimes it's enough just to see him. The conceptual information of this chapter delves into the intricate dynamics of the characters' interactions, shedding light on their motivations, desires, and struggles within the context of the evolving world around them. The chapter may reveal deeper aspects of the characters' personalities and relationships, as well as contribute to the overarching themes of the novel. It's worth noting that Galsworthy's writing often provides insightful commentary on the Victorian and Edwardian eras, including the shifting values and norms of the time. As such, the conceptual information of this text may offer a glimpse into the complexity of human emotions and societal conventions during this period.
This story reflects a mix of emotional tones including resignation, introspection, and a sense of growing unrest. In this chapter, the characters might find themselves grappling with personal and societal changes, leading to an undercurrent of tension and unease. It is confirmed by the use of emotionally colored words and epithets (enraptured, beastly London, blissful, illumined, brazen, impersonal, and gracious), exclamations (Splendid! yes! But to sneak her in like this! How self-possessed she was! They had arranged no further meeting!).
The author goes into details describing the appearance of the characters. The author resorts to the use of epithets to describe the appearance of the Forsytes generation: “The god of property and his Forsytes great and small, leisured, official, commercial, or professional, like the working classes, still worked their seven hours a day”. And also the author plunge into details when describing Jon’s father, sitting under the oak-tree: “suffered in advance all the loss of caste he must go through in the eyes of that tranquil figure, with his knees crossed, thin, old, and elegant”.
The author offers no judgments to the actions, described in the chapter. The main characters are fully characterized. Their actions are implicitly embedded into their utterances. The author seemingly offers explicit characterization of personages: the generation of the couple of lovers, their dialogues and emotions, their changing moods, their relations, their plans and actions. Most of the story is presented from author’s viewpoint. There are many signals of his subjective attitude to the described, e.g. “For Jon − sure of her now, and without separation before him − it was a miraculous dawdle”, “It was love-in-a-mist − one of those illumined pages of Life”, “This last was the shock Jon received, coming thus on his mother”. His portrayal, though never done explicitly, is still exhaustive. Rough and tough at first sight he proves to be inwardly insecure and vulnerable. The story shows this confrontation and interdependence of the outward and the inward.
The author of the present text creates the atmosphere of tension and uncertainty. The characters are faced with a variety of challenges and conflicts, and there is a feeling of unease as they navigate through complex emotions and difficult decisions. The atmosphere is also colored by a sense of change and transition, as the characters grapple with the shifting dynamics of their relationships and their place in the world around them. There is a palpable sense of anticipation and apprehension as they confront the unknown and weathers the storms of personal upheaval.
The mood of tension and anxiety is created with the help of such literary techniques as epithets (blissful silence, miraculous dawdle, indelicate thing, startled face), numerals (the fourth generation, lasted thirty-seven minutes, at the milking hour) and verbs of motion (to cast down level with the ground, to trail after smb., to watch the fencing of one’s eyes, to bring smb. down openly, to receive a shock, to do an indelicate thing, to become suddenly conscious, to sneak smb., to put on a front, to consume with shame, to aggravate one’s breach of breeding) and similes (as little gold, as far as the farm-yard, as brazen as his nature would permit, as no doubt, like the working classes, to feel like a child.
The story produces a stressful impression.
The attitude of the author is expressed implicitly. The author gives no comment in his own persona, we can only guess about his attitude to the characters. The author is just a witness and observer, he only describes the events. The characters are made self-revealing. The author describes the characters and their actions in detail but does not pass judgments on them. Galsworthy meticulously delves into the inner workings of the characters, providing insights into their motivations, conflicts, and aspirations. His narrative style is marked by psychological depth, offering readers a profound understanding of the characters' internal struggles and desires. Making no explicit appearance the author may convey his judgments and estimations only implicitly. Though the author never appreciates or condemns his protagonist, we feel that he likes and sympathizes with him and shares his views.
The text contains the following components of the compositional structure:
We don’t have any particular beginning of the story, because the chapter starts immediately from the dialogue and the description of the main characters’ plan to see the Jon’s house;
The following part, namely exposition reveals the back ground information, such as the setting, characters, and their relationships. The exposition starts from the very beginning of the text and ends with the words “There’s a train at four”. In this part of the text, we meet the characters of our story – young lovers from rival families – Jon and Fleur. We can observe their dialogue. Jon is angry at the fact that they can't have privacy, it is stated directly: «“Isn’t there any place”, cried Jon, “in all this beastly London where we can be alone?”». By this sentence, we understand that the place of the action in the exposition is London, which the author describes by an epithet as “beastly London”. Thus, the author conveys the main character's attitude to this place, showing that London is a huge beast in the eyes of a lover, where there is no place for love and privacy. Here, Fleur expresses a desire to look at her lover's house, which makes him a little happier. Moreover, with his consent, the exposition ends;
The story is the main narrative of a piece of writing, including the events, actions, and dialogue that make up the plot. The story in this case discloses the scene, where the main characters goes back to Robin Hill “in an empty first-class carriage, dusty and sun-warmed, of that too early train” in order to see Jon’s house from the distance. “They travelled in blissful silence holding each other's hands”. This part starts with the words “The god of property and his Forsytes...” and ends with “...came on Irene, sitting on an old log seat”. From this part, we see that the place of the action has changed to a rural area; a suburb of London called Robin Hill.
The climax, mainly the turning point in a story, where the conflict or tension reaches its peak and the outcome of the story becomes clear, reveals the culmination point in the development of the action. The climax begins with the words “There are various kinds of shocks...” and ends with “My husband will enjoy seeing you”. The author at the very beginning of the passage makes his digression in order to tell us about different shocks. Jon and Fleur were not supposed to love each other; it was terrible that his parents saw him with his loved one. Jon's parents, being rich, educated people, did not show how offended they were by their son's deception. They behaved very politely and in a secular manner, like any other representative of the upper class.
The denouement is the resolution of the story, where loose ends are tied up, and the final outcome of the conflict is revealed. The denouement in this chapter starts with the words “The expression of his mother's eyes” and ends with “and telephone to the Dragon for a car”. In this situation, while his beloved and his mother were having a casual small talk, Jon was helpless, as if he were a stranger in someone else's house, even afraid to say the name of his mother and his beloved. Both women were dear to him and he could not choose. Nevertheless, the real shame overtook Jon when he saw his father Jolyon.
The ending is the conclusion of the story, where the final events take place and the story comes to a close. This part begins with the words “To leave her alone with them was strange, and yet...” and ends at the end of the text. Jon was very worried that because he was superfluous at this tea party, that he and Fleur were separated.
The story has no introduction but it is possible to reconstruct the chronological flow of events the culmination of which is described by Galsworthy. The story has an open end; the impending fate of the characters remains unknown. But following the inner logic of their development, lay out by the author, it is possible to prognosticate their future actions and deeds, with adequate accuracy.
The events of the present text are represented in the form of narration with insertions of dialogue. The narration is done in the third person. These forms of presentation interrelate with description. They overlap and run together. Several utterances of one protagonist are easily joined into a coherent unity. The story is narrated by the third-person omniscient author.
The author uses different paragraphs. Some of them are very small and others are long. There is only asyndetic connection between the paragraphs. Every paragraph has a logical connection with the previous and following paragraphs, because it’s a dialogical story. The first and the second physical paragraphs are connected with the help of the conjunction which serves to contrast and transition from one thought to the next. The small paragraphs contain detailed descriptions of the character's emotions and actions, creating a more intimate and personal connection with the reader. On the other hand, the longer paragraphs tend to drive the dialogue and advance the plot.
The use of varying paragraph lengths helps to maintain the pacing of the story, with shorter paragraphs emphasizing specific moments of reflection or intense emotions, while longer paragraphs build up the tension or drive the action forward. This technique enhances the storytelling and keeps the reader engaged throughout the conversation.
It is a common knowledge that any literary text is based on the principles of poetic structure cohesion. They are the principle of recurrence, the principle of analogy and contrast, and the principle of incomplete representation.
Now I would like to have a closer look at those SD which serve to convey the author’s implications:
Simile is a lexical stylistic device, a kind of metaphor, based upon an analogy between two unlike objects belonging to two different classes. “And every light touch they gave each other was as little gold and red and blue butterflies and flowers and birds scrolled in among the text...”; “He felt like a child”, “he felt like a ghost”.
Epithet is a lexical stylistic device which gives an attributive characterization of a person, thing or phenomenon. The place of the action in the exposition is London, which the author describes by an epithet as “beastly London”. Thus, the author conveys the main character's attitude to this place, showing that London is a huge beast in the eyes of a lover, where there is no place for love and privacy. Also we can find such epithets as “blissful silence”, “tranquil figure”, “faint irony” “thin, old, and elegant”.
Allusion is a figure of speech, in which an object or circumstance from an unrelated context is referred to covertly or indirectly. Namely, it is an allusion to the idol of the Forsytes – the property they worship: “The god of property and his Forsytes great and small, leisured, official, commercial, or professional, like the working classes”; “Love-in-a-mist”;
Periphrasis is a lexical stylistic device which consists of using a roundabout form of expression instead of a simpler one. We observe the periphrasis, which implies Fleur and Jon: “Two of the fourth generation”; “The house up there beyond the trees and the grassy slope”, “the two beings he loved most in the world”; “He returned under cover of the maids and teapots”, transmitting the common word noise.
Antithesis is a stylistic devise of contrast in art or oratory, consisting in a sharp contrast of concepts, positions, and images, conditions, interconnected by a common construction or internal meaning. The place of the action changed from London to its suburbs, and for this, the author used the antithesis: “Blissful silence” and “beastly London”. This antithesis is used to show the differences between a quiet, secluded life in the country and a noisy, crowded London.
Detachment is a stylistic device based on singling out a secondary member of the sentence with the help of punctuation (intonation). We also see a very elated, joyful, loving mood of our character. This mood is conveyed by the detachment: “More wonderful than those on the Downs”.
Climax (or gradation) is a stylistic device, a figure of speech in which a number of ideas are so arranged that each succeeding one rises above its predecessor in impressiveness, force, importance or emotional tension. The author talks about physical discomfort, but it ends with a sense of personal dignity. This gradation is used to show that at the moment the character has experienced the most terrible shock – his sense of dignity has been trampled into dust: «to the vertebrae, to the nerves; to moral sensibility; and, to more potent and permanent, to personal dignity».
Understatement is a lexical stylistic device which intentionally underrates the size, shape, dimensions, and characteristic features of the object. We can see an understatement: «He became suddenly conscious that he was doing an indelicate thing». This helps us to understand how big a mistake it was to bring a girl home.
Ellipsis is a stylistic device in linguistics used as the omission of unnecessary part of the complete statements. “To have brought Fleur down openly – yes! But to sneak her in like this!”.
Hyperbole (overstatement) is a lexical stylistic device which emphasis is achieved through deliberate exaggeration. “The expression of his mother’s eyes, resting on him for a moment, cast Jon down level with the ground – a true worm”. In this situation, while his beloved and his mother were having a casual small talk, Jon was helpless, as if he were a stranger in someone else's house, even afraid to say the name of his mother and his beloved. The tension is mounted by means of the hyperbole “feeling more and more like an intruder in his own home”.
Metaphor is a lexical stylistic device resulting from the logical association of similarity between two objects, in which words or phrases denoting one object transferred to others in order to indicate a resemblance between them. The author uses a strong metaphor here, showing how an innocent walk in the family garden turned out: “all the loss of caste”; “He felt like a ghost, hovering round the table”
Metonymy is a lexical stylistic device based on contiguity of objects or
phenomena. Jon also avoids the company of his father, so the author uses metonymy to describe Jolyon: “in the eyes”, “tranquil figure”.
Litotes is a stylistic device, a type of understatement, which consists in the
use of a negative for the contrary. “Was all within himself, but not less for that”. The author used it to show what the situation really was, to show the ease of conversation between Jon's parents and Fleur, while at the same time showing us the shame and insecurity that had been inside Jon all this time.
Parallelism is a syntactical stylistic device based upon a recurrence of
syntactically identical sequences which lexically are completely or
partially different. The repetition of “so at ease, so perfectly civilized” emphasizes the contrast between Jon's feelings and the atmosphere of the room.
Furthermore, it is also possible trace the principle of incomplete representation in the text. The author places some poetic details into the story in order to single out the most characteristic features of the objects of the episode.
1. Imagery and Sensory Detail: “up the lane, which smelled of dust and honeysuckle”, – The description captures the sensory experience of the setting, evoking both the scent of dust and the sweet fragrance of honeysuckle, creating a vivid atmosphere for the reader.
2. Metaphorical Language: “It was love-in-a-mist”, – This metaphorical expression beautifully conveys the narrator's perception of the moment as a bewildering, enchanting experience, likening it to a delicate flower “love-in-a-mist”.
3. Symbolism: “a miraculous dawdle”, “where every word and smile, and every light touch they gave each other were as little gold and red and blue butterflies and flowers and birds scrolled in among the text”, – The use of symbols such as butterflies, flowers, and birds serves to amplify the enchantment of the moment, painting a poetic image of their interaction as something delicate, colourful, and deeply significant.
4. Poetic Language: “those illumined pages of Life”, – The phrase "illumined pages of Life" communicates a sense of poetic grandeur, elevating the ordinary into something extraordinary and profound, reflecting the transcendental nature of their experience.
5. Emotional Depth: The text carries emotional depth and sensitivity in the portrayal of the characters' feelings, their subtle interactions, and the complexities of their relationships, bringing a lyrical quality to the narrative.
6. Alliteration: “consumed with shame”, – The use of alliteration subtly adds to the poetic quality of the text, emphasizing the emotional turmoil experienced by the character.
These poetic details contribute to the richness of the narrative and the skilful portrayal of emotions and sensory experiences, capturing the essence of the characters' interactions and the timeless themes of love, longing, and human connection within the larger context of the saga.
Lexico-grammatical analysis (Diction)
Morphological level
Speaking about morphological peculiarities of the present text, we can find different parts of speech with the reference to the situation described: nouns, adjectives, adverbs, verbs.
Let us have a close look at the verbs. As it is a narration the majority of verbs are used in the Past Indefinite Tense (“they travelled”, “they saw”, “they reached the coppice”, “he returned”). The purpose of this usage is to show that the actions or requests being made are general and ongoing, rather than specific to a certain time or situation. This creates a sense of immediacy and urgency, as if the speaker is demanding immediate attention or action. It also adds a sense of authority and importance to the commands or requests being made, making them feels more impactful and urgent. Overall, the use of the Present Indefinite tense with imperative mood helps to create a sense of urgency and importance in the narrative, driving the plot forward and engaging the reader.
The Present Continuous tense is used in dialogues, for example: “Are you going back to Robin Hill?”, “I'm staying with my aunt for the night”, as well as the Past Continuous tense, for example: “he was doing an indelicate thing”, “Fleur was smiling”, “his mother's startled face was changing”, “We weren't coming to the house”, “who were talking so easily”, “They were talking of the Gallery off Cork Street”. It helps to characterise the main characters and their actions.
There is the Future Indefinite Tense in the dialogue (“Won't you come up and have tea?”, “We'll send you down to the station”), used to show the actions which are supposed to take place in the near future, invitations or promises.
In the description of actions in the chapter the author uses adverbial participles (“holding each other's hands”, “leading up to the gardens”, “sitting on an old log seat”, “coming thus on his mother”, “to think of bringing you down”, “Feeling that he had”, “enjoy seeing you”, “resting on him for a moment”, “trailing after those two”, “taking each other in”, “father sitting under the oak-tree”). It helps to characterize the characters and their actions.
As far as the category of voice is concerned, both voices can be traced in the text. The author uses mostly active voice (“Fleur asked”, “Jon gazed”, “There's a train”), except few cases of passive forms (“they were installed”, “it might be said”). However, the majority of the passage is in active voice, portraying events and actions that are clearly and directly attributed to their subjects. They show the speaker’s attitude towards the actions or states indicated by the infinitive.
It is essential to say a few words about the frequent use of modal verbs. The author uses them in the dialogue and narration, it’s quite natural because the characters speak about different things and express their attitude to different actions and circumstances of their life. The modal verb can/could is used to denote physical ability (“we can be alone”; “I can show it to you”, “I could get back”, “she could see the field”, “He could see his father”, “he could feel the faint irony”). The verb must is used to express supposition implying strong probability (“he must go through”). However, to convey Irene's intonation, to show that she insists on tea, the author uses italics on the modal verb must: “but you must have tea”. The modal verb might is used to denote possibility due to circumstances (“it might be said”). The modal verb should is used to express obligation which in context may acquire additional shades of meaning, such as advisability and desirability (“I should like to see”).
As far as the category of mood is concerned, the Indicative, the Imperative and the Subjunctive mood can be traced in this text. When the author speaks about the unreal actions I come across the Subjunctive mood. The Subjunctive Mood represents the action as problematic (“I should like to see where you live, Jon”). In this sentence, the modal verb “should” is in the subjunctive mood, used to express a desire or a hypothetical situation. The Imperative Mood is used to demand or require that an action be performed (“Let's get one, then”). The phrase “Let's get” is in the imperative mood, used to express a command or a suggestion. The Indicative Mood is the mood used to express facts or state opinions as if they were facts (“They travelled in blissful silence holding each other's hands”). The phrase “They travelled” is in the indicative mood, used to state a fact or describe an action that is taking place. These different moods are used to convey a variety of attitudes, intentions, and states of being within the text, adding depth and nuance to the characters' interactions and the overall narrative.
The ample use of pronouns “he,” “she,” “his”, “her” in the opening sentence and the next paragraphs produces an effect of focusing the narrative on the individual characters and their actions and experiences. This creates a sense of specificity and personalization within the storytelling, allowing the reader to connect with the characters and follow their interactions more closely. The repeated use of pronouns also contributes to the flow of the text, lending a natural conversational tone to the storytelling.
In the provided text, adjectives and adverbs serve the function of providing details, enhancing descriptions, and conveying the emotional and sensory aspects of the narrative.
1. Descriptive Function:
– “beastly London” (adjective) – this adjective describes London in a negative or unpleasant manner, emphasizing a certain disdain or frustration.
– “dusty and sun-warmed” (adjectives) – these adjectives paint a visual picture of the first-class carriage, enhancing the reader's sensory experience.
2. Emotional Intensity:
– “blissful silence” (adjective + noun) – this phrase conveys a sense of peaceful and contented silence, intensifying the emotional atmosphere.
– “miraculous dawdle” (adjective + noun) – the adjective “miraculous” intensifies the sense of wonder and enchantment associated with the leisurely stroll.
3. Character Portrayal:
– “self-possessed” (adjective) – this adjective characterizes Fleur's demeanour, suggesting confidence and composure.
– “startled face” (adjective + noun) – the adjective “startled” provides insight into the mother's emotional state, enriching the portrayal of the character.
4. Narrator's Perspective:
– “already he could feel the faint irony” (adverb) – the adverb “already” signifies the narrator's observation of the character's thoughts and emotions, adding depth to the storytelling.
Though the manner of narration is objectively neutral, still it is possible to say that the author condemns the situation.
The manner of narration in the provided text can be characterized as intimate and immersive, with a strong focus on the internal thoughts and emotions of the protagonist, Jon, as he navigates a complex web of relationships and social dynamics. The style of narration is predominantly third-person limited, offering insights into Jon's inner world and perceptions, while also providing a detailed account of the external events and interactions.
1. Emotional Descriptions:
The narrator delves deeply into Jon's emotional experiences and psychological states, portraying his enraptured gaze, feelings of shame, and internal turmoil. This narrative style creates a sense of empathy and closeness with the protagonist, drawing the reader into his emotional journey.
2. Vivid Imagery:
The narration is rich in sensory descriptions, vividly conveying the sights, sounds, and scents of the environments. For instance, the description of "the lane, which smelled of dust and honeysuckle" and the portrayal of "the house up there beyond the trees and the grassy slope" evokes a tangible and evocative sense of place.
3. Inner Dialogue:
The narrative frequently provides access to Jon's internal monologue, offering a window into his thoughts, doubts, and uncertainties. This technique allows the reader to intimately engage with Jon's inner conflicts and personal revelations.
4. Character Observations:
The narrator keenly observes the interactions and behaviours of the characters, particularly Jon, Fleur, and Jon's mother. This provides a nuanced portrayal of the interpersonal dynamics and the characters' individual traits, contributing to a multi-dimensional understanding of the relationships.
Lexical level
Now I am going to analyse the text on the lexical level. The language of the author is very rich and as it is a dialogical story, the author uses a lot of colloquial and emotional vocabulary. The author makes use of phrasal verbs (“get back”, “come up”, “bring down”, “catch a train”, “tell them”, “sneak in”, “get one”, “put on”, “send down”, “take in”, “telephone for”, “carry down”). To make the text livelier and to avoid unnecessary repetitions, the author uses the synonyms (“alone” and “by yourself”, “defiantly” and “boldly”, “quickly” and “rapidly”, “gracious” and “kind”, “walked” and “trailed”) and antonyms (“actively” and “passively”, “separate” and “together”, “gracious” and “defiantly”, “front” and “behind”). The title of the story is easy to understand. After all, the author showed us directly the meeting of two lovers. Maybe it’s the end of their happiness and love as a couple.
The domineering feature of the text under consideration is anxiety. We can trace it on lexical, morphological and syntactic levels. First of all, let us dwell upon the most prominent lexical peculiarities of the text. It would ne natural to single out the following thematic groups:
Nouns denoting a rural area («dust and honeysuckle», «coppice», «milking hour», «farmyard», «the field leading up to the gardens», «arches») show the surrounding area and the place where actions between main characters take place;
As for proper names I can single out such ones as Jon, Fleur, Forsytes, Irene, Jolyon, as well as geographical names and the appellation such as London, Robin Hill, Spain, Wansdon, the river Thames, the Downs, pages of Life, the Dragon, the Gallery off Cork Street.
Nouns denoting social class and status. The text explores the differences in social class between the Forsytes and the working classes, as well as the social status of the characters within their own social circles. Examples include the mention of leisured, official, commercial, or professional Forsytes and the encounter with villagers unknown to Jon.
Nouns and verbs denoting love and romance. The main focus of the text is the romantic relationship between Jon and Fleur, including their desire for privacy and their blissful moments together. Examples include Jon's desire to find a place where they can be alone, their hand-holding on the train, and their happy communing in the coppice.
Nouns denoting family relationships. The text also explores the complex relationships between family members, particularly between Jon and his mother Irene. Examples include Jon's shame at sneaking Fleur into his home and his mother's graciousness towards Fleur despite her initial surprise.
Nouns denoting etiquette and social norms. The text also touches on the importance of etiquette and social norms in upper-class society, such as Jon's concern about breaching breeding by bringing Fleur to his home without permission. Examples also include Irene's invitation to have tea and her husband's potential irony towards Jon's breach of etiquette.
Abstract nouns (love, romance, shock, dignity, shame, breaching) create the atmosphere of anxiety and concern;
Numerals (thirty-seven, the fourth, seven) mount tension;
Adjectives and adverbs (beastly, then, suddenly, first-class, blissful, countless, early, too, actively, blissful, happily, impersonal, quickly, self-possessed, easily) show the emotional state of the characters. Adjectives are words expressing properties of objects. They are used in the story for the emotional colouring of the dialogue;
10) Verbs of motion (travelled, walked, turned, reaching, trailed, suffered, sitting, said) show the actions and nervousness of the main character Jon and other heroes.
Special emphasis should be laid on the lexical SD and EM. They are:
1. epithets (enraptured, beastly London, blissful, illumined, brazen, impersonal, and gracious) show the author’s attitude;
2. metaphors (“all the loss of caste”; “He felt like a ghost, hovering round the table”) mount tension;
3. similes (“And every light touch they gave each other were as little gold and red and blue butterflies and flowers and birds scrolled in among the text...”; “He felt like a child”, “he felt like a ghost”) are one of the means of character drawing;
4. hyperboles (“the expression of his mother’s eyes, resting on him for a moment, cast Jon down level with the ground – a true worm”, “feeling more and more like an intruder in his own home”) hold the reader in strain.
All these SD are also used to create the atmosphere of tension.
Syntactical level
As far as the syntactical peculiarities of the text are concerned, it should be stressed that we first of all encounter the use of various communicative types of sentences:
The statements make the events more truthful (“Jon gazed at her enraptured”, “hey travelled in blissful silence holding each other's hands”, “Then she led on, and Fleur followed her”).
Different types of questions show in what matter the main characters are really interested (“…we can be alone?”, “Are you going back to Robin Hill?”, “Won't you come up and have tea?”).
Exclamations show their reaction on the definite situation (“Splendid!”, “To have brought Fleur down openly − yes!”, “But to sneak her in like this!”, “How self-possessed she was!”, “they had arranged no further meeting!”).
As for the simplicity of the structure of the sentences in the dialogues, the author uses mostly simple sentences (“This is Fleur Forsyte, Jolyon”, “Jon gazed at her enraptured”, “There's a train at four”).
As for the complexity of the structure of the sentences in the narration, complex and compound sentences are used (“Feeling that he had but aggravated his breach of breeding, he heard Fleur answer: 'Thanks very much; I have to get back to dinner. I met Jon by accident, and we thought it would be rather jolly just to see his house”, “The expression of his mother's eyes, resting on him for a moment, cast Jon down level with the ground − a true worm”, “To leave her alone with them was strange, and yet, as no doubt his mother had foreseen, the least of evils at the moment; so he ran up into the house”).
Special emphasis should be laid on the use of syntactic SD and EM. They are:
1. repetitions (“so at ease, so perfectly civilized”);
2. enumerations (“those two of the fourth generation”, “lasted thirty-seven minutes”, “at the milking hour”) mount tension;
3. ellipses (“To have brought Fleur down openly – yes! But to sneak her in like this!”) show haste;
These syntactic SD and EM also help to create the atmosphere of anxiety. The author's main concern in the text seems to revolve around themes such as personal relationships, social status, and the nuances of social interaction within specific societal circles. The text delves into the complexities of romantic relationships and the challenges faced by individuals when navigating their feelings and interactions within the broader context of their social and familial circles. There is a strong focus on the emotional dynamics between characters, particularly between Jon and Fleur, as they negotiate their budding romance within the backdrop of familial expectations and societal norms. The text underscores the tension and inner turmoil experienced by Jon as he grapples with the conflicting demands of his emotions and the social expectations placed upon him.
Furthermore, the descriptions and interactions within the text touch upon themes of social class, heritage, and the impact of familial backgrounds on personal relationships. The sense of social propriety and the tensions arising from navigating interactions between different social strata are palpable throughout the text. The portrayal of Jon's internal conflict and the expectations placed upon him by his family highlight the broader theme of societal expectations and their influence on personal choices and relationships.
Overall, the author seems to be concerned with depicting the intricate interplay between personal desires, social conventions, and familial obligations, offering insight into the complexities of human emotion and social dynamics within a specific cultural milieu.
I liked this passage, because the range of emotions, the inner experiences of the main character Jon were described quite truthfully. In addition, the behaviour of his parents - the author did not have to directly talk about their attitude to the situation, because we could feel it through Jon's feelings.
1 235
49 871 
