Descriptive Focus as a Semiotic Marker in Festus Iyayi’s Violence.docVIP

Descriptive Focus as a Semiotic Marker in Festus Iyayi’s Violence 　　[a]　Ph.D.，　Department　of　English　and　Literary　Studies，　University　of　Calabar，　Nigeria. 　　*　Corresponding　author. 　　Received　16　October　2012；　accepted　19　December　2012 　　Abstract 　　Descriptive　Focus　is　a　technique　of　rendering　fiction　whereby　（mock）　reality　is　constructed　vividly　and　graphically　through　the　descriptive　power　of　portrayal.　A　erest　that　contribute　significantly　to　the　understanding　of　the　theme　of　the　works.　Descriptive　Focus　or　Focalization，　therefore，　not　only　yields　stylistic　meaning，　vides　a　means　of　deciphering　the　ideational　dimension　of　a　text.　In　the　novel，　Violence，　focalization　on　the　squalour，　destitution　and　pitiable　conditions　of　the　poor　masses　is　so　pictorially　captured　with　typified　visual，　tactile，　gustatory，　olfactory，　auditory　and　kinaesthetic　images　that　we　are　tempted　to　regard　the　work　as　faction.　Contrastively，　Ifort　wallow　in　want.　This　paper　analyzes　this　text-forming　strategy　and　reaches　the　conclusion　that　the　descriptive　focus　itself　is　a　semiotic　marker　or　a　code　in　developing　the　ideational　content　of　the　novel　and　in　deciphering　same　by　the　audience.　This　evocative　power　of　graphic　description　reinforces　the　themes　in　the　novel. 　　Key　words：　Descriptive　focus；　Ideation；　Semiotic　marker；　Typification 　　Godwin　Oko　Ushie，　Eno　Grace　Nta　（2012）.　Descriptive　Focus　as　a　Semiotic　Marker　in　Festus　Iyayi’s　Violence.　Studies　in　Literature　and　Language，　5（3），　-0.　Available　from：　http：///index.php/sll/article/view/j.sll.1923156320120503.2129 　　DOI：　http：///10.3968/j.sll.1923156320120503.2129 　　INTRODUCTION 　　One　of　the　characteristics　of　language　which　a　literary　writer　like　Iyayi　exploits　in　the　creation　of　his　reality　（or　mock　reality）　is　displacement.　This　is　the　ability　of　a　language　to　capture　events　or　states　removed　from　the　audiences　in　time　and　space.　Verisimilitude　is　used　in　this　novel　to　aid　in　the　creation　of　mock　reality.　Verisimilitude　is