Literature has its own structures, or grammar, which is formed by conventions, patterns and rules. Every language has a grammar that establishes its form and meaning and the same is true for the literary language.

There is a significant difference between the language of literature – literary language and the language of not-literature – instrumental language.

Literary language: polysemic, radical ambiguity, strong/poetic metaphor, connotation, open, less probable, more potential messages.

Instrumental language: monosemic, unambiguous, conventional metaphor, denotation, more probable, fewer potential messages, clear.

Study questions for the seminar:

Find similes, symbols and metaphors in the short story.

Find an example of dramatic or tragic irony.

Find an example of an oxymoron.