STYLISTIC FUNCTIONS OF FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE IN CONTEMPORARY LITERARY DISCOURSE

Abstract

The article investigates the stylistic functions of figurative language in contemporary literary discourse. It focuses on metaphor, simile, personification, epithet, and hyperbole as linguistic resources that organize imagery, evaluation, characterization, foregrounding, and reader response. Drawing on major approaches in literary stylistics, the study argues that figurative devices should not be treated as decorative additions to an otherwise neutral message. Their selection influences viewpoint, emotional intensity, textual cohesion, and the conceptual representation of fictional experience. Particular attention is paid to the relationship between linguistic form and interpretative effect, as well as to the role of context in determining the stylistic value of a figurative expression. The analysis demonstrates that figurative language is a central mechanism through which literary discourse creates aesthetic salience and guides readers toward particular interpretations.