A study on the flouting of maxims used in the novel “the sun also rises” by ernest hemingway

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING HANOI OPEN UNIVERSITY M.A THESIS A STUDY ON THE FLOUTING OF MAXIMS USED IN THE NOVEL “THE SUN ALSO RISES” BY ERNEST HEMINGWAY (NGHIÊN CỨU VỀ VI PHẠM CÁC PHƯƠNG CHÂM HỘI THOẠI TRONG TIỂU THUYẾT “MẶT TRỜI VẪN MỌC” CỦA NHÀ VĂN ERNEST HEMINGWAY) NGUYỄN THANH HUYỀN Field: English Language Code: 60220201 Supervisor: DO KIM PHUONG PhD Hanoi, 2016 CERTIFICATE OF ORIGINALITY I, the undersigned, hereby certify my authority of the study project report entitled: “A study on the flouting of maxims used in the novel “The sun also rises” by Ernest Hemingway” submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master in English Language Except where the reference is indicated, no other person’s work has been used without due acknowledgement in the text of the thesis Hanoi, 2016 Nguyen Thanh Huyen Approved by SUPERVISOR DO KIM PHUONG PhD Date: October, 2016 i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This thesis could not have been completed without the help and support from a number of people First and foremost, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Do Kim Phuong PhD, my supervisor, who has patiently and constantly supported me through the stages of the study, and whose stimulating ideas, expertise, and suggestions have inspired me greatly through my growth as an academic researcher A special word of thanks goes to all my lecturers at Hanoi Open University, without whose support and encouragement it would never have been possible for me to have this thesis accomplished Last but not least, I am greatly indebted to my family, my husband for the sacrifice they have devoted to the fulfillment of this academic work Nguyen Thanh Huyen ii ABSTRACT This study is made to analyze the flouting maxims used in the novel “The sun also rises” by Ernest Hemingway The research problems of the study are the flouting of maxims The study is further elaborated into: the flouting of quality maxim, the flouting of quantity maxim, the flouting of relevance/ relation maxim, the flouting of manner maxim The study is expected to be beneficial to the world of literature In addition, the author hopes the result of the study will give additional information to the readers and can contribute to the development of literary study particularly among students who are interested in the literary study It is a qualitative study focusing on the flouting of maxims of the novel Firstly, the data were gathered by picking up the utterances within conversation which reveals the flouting of maxims Secondly, the author started to analyze the data in conducting the analysis, the author used Grice’s classification which divides the maxims into four categories, namely quality maxim, quantity maxim, relevance/relation maxim, and manner maxim Finally, the author classified the data into each category where they belong to and gave a little comment on the case As a result, the author found how the maxims were flouted and then drew the inferences dealing with the case From the results, it was known that the flouting of maxims occur in all kinds of Grice’s maxims with no exception, and it is done in various ways iii LIST OF FIGURES Figure Frequency of occurrences of types of the flouting of 36 maxims Figure Percentages of types of the flouting of maxims 36 iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Contents Certificate of originality i Acknowledgements ii Abstract iii List of figures iv Chapter 1: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Rationale for the research 1.2 Aims of the research 1.3 Objectives of the research 1.4 Scope of the research 1.5 Significance of the research 1.6 Structural organization of the research Chapter 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Conversation 2.2 Cooperative Principles 2.3 Conversational implicature 14 2.4 Flouting maxims 17 Chapter 3: METHODOLOGY 3.1 Research-governing orientations 26 3.2 Research methods 30 3.3 Summary 34 Chapter 4: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS 4.1 Findings 35 4.2 Discussions 58 Chapter 5: CONCLUSION 5.1 Recapitulation 61 5.2 Limitation of the research 63 5.3 Suggestions for further research 63 REFERENCES 64 APPENDIXES 67 Chapter INTRODUCTION 1.1 Rationale Conversation is very important in communication In daily communication, various style of conversation occurs and is used for many purposes It is used for socializing, expressing feeling, sharing knowledge and ideas, maintaining good relationships with others, and others related to human interactions in life Levinson (1983:284) defined conversation as the familiar kind of talk in which two or more participants freely alternate in speaking, which generally occur outside specific institutional settings like religious services, law courts, classrooms, and the like In understanding the messages conveyed in the daily conversation, it is needed that we learn and study about one of an idea in pragmatics which called conversational implicature Levinson (1983:101) described conversational implicatures as “a non-conventional implicature based on an addressee’s assumption that the speaker is following the conversational maxims or at least the cooperative principle” In producing a good conversation, participants need to understand each others’ meaning of the utterance That is why the participants tend to follow the cooperative principle and the conversational maxim by giving enough, true, related, and arranged utterance which is assumed as explicit information On the other hand, conversational implicature tends to flout the conversational maxim Grice (1975) categorized the cooperative principle of conversation and elaborates it in four sub-principles: (1) maxim of quantity, (2) maxim of quality, (3) maxim of relation, and (4) maxim of manner Yule (1996: 37) says that it is important to recognize these maxims as unstated assumptions we have in conversation Efforts to understand the meaning assumed from the flouted conversational maxim in the conversation implicature has been doing by many participants of conversation When people have conversation, there is a risk that one could misunderstand the others Thus, Grice (1975), proposes a principle called “Cooperative Principle” in conversation This principle has to be followed so that people could have a smooth conversation To fulfill this principle, Grice states four maxims to be followed However, from some investigations, the flouting of maxims could create humorous effects in certain situation such as novels In a novel, many utterances have different meanings Furthermore, as novel’s lovers, we might to know what the conversational purpose is Conversation in the novel does not always follow Grice’s principle including conversational maxims In a conversation, utterances or sentences that flouted maxims can be found Understanding the meaning of a conversation is needed by a viewer in order to avoid misunderstanding In Ernest Hemingway’s The sun also rises the flouting maxims also happen The sun also rises has many utterances or sentences that flouted maxims The case of flouting maxims in the novel is represented by the data, which are classified into four categories The data collected show that the flouting of those maxims occurs in all kinds of Grice’s maxims with no exception The following example is taken in “The Sun Also Rises” (Page 5) Jake: Don’t you like Paris? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernest_Hemingway https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sun_Also_Rises http://www.fhi.org/nr/rdonlyres/etl7vogszehu5s4stpzb3tyqlpp7ro jv4waq37elpbyei3tgmc4ty6dunbccfzxtaj2rvbaubzmz4f/overview1.pdf, 66 APPENDIXES A The Flouting of Maxim of Quality Examples No Page Hidden meanings Mrs Braddocks: Europe is the Mrs.Braddocks’s remark deliberately size of the Eastwood Mall We flouts the maxim of quality He gives can walk to Berlin from there the information which is not true The Georgette: Mrs Braddocks, fact that the size of Eastwood mall is so England’s an island far smaller compared with the size of Mrs Braddocks: Ok, swim Europe continent Of course they can’t Whatever walk thousand miles from London to 12 Berlin Georgette means to make general instance that explains every area in Europe is interconnected with each other just like we move to one shop to another shop in Eastwood mall Jake: What's up? Mike’s remark flouts the maxim of Mike: Jesus, Jenny, I thought quality He gives information that you were some girl Come on contrast with value the truth Mike uses Platform expression “I thought” indicates that he doubts that Jenny is female because “though” means that what the speaker expects does not match with the reality 67 24 It can be concluded that Mike’s remark implies “You are not the girl I look for” Cooper feels disappointed when he realize the girl is Jenny Mike: Do you think you can go Mike’s remark deliberately flouts the an hour without your currency maxim of quality He gives information colostomy bag? which is not match with the truth In Brett: As long as this thing has fact, colostomy bag is bag or belt that our money and passports in it, is worn by the patient who already it's not coming off get intestine surgery in order to keep tight the position of intestine In fact, Brett does not wear colostomy bag, he just wears traveler bag which resembles colostomy bag Actually the way Brett wears the traveler bag almost same with the way patient wears colostomy bag It is being worn around chest and belly It is quite uncommon way in wearing bag It can be concluded that Mike’s remark implies “Are you serious to wear that weird stuff in the beach?” Mike criticizes Brett bag which has weird form 68 29 Brett: I hope you didn't think I Mike talks to Brett in a plane Brett dropped you in it feels guilty since he thinks that Mike Mike: Don't worry about it The was dismissed because of him In fog of war response to Brett’s utterance, Mike says that he should not worry about it Besides, he also says ‘the fog of war’, which is a metaphorical expression He 32 wants to say to his friend that his dismissal was caused by confusion in his scandal, and therefore he should not feel guilty about it In other words, he flouts maxim of quality because his utterance is literally not true Edna: I wish you had You need Edna wants to see Mike work again to get back to work What because he has just sacked recently happened to that book on Fortunately, Mike has a plan to make Russian history? some money by writing a book about Mike: No one's interested in Russian history However, Mike feels Russian bloody history pessimistic about his plan He wants to tell Edna how pessimistic he is about his plan by stating that Russian history is bloody, while in fact it does not only contain horrendous events He also says that no one is interested in what is 69 35 going to be discussed in the book while there is no way that no one is interested on that subject, at least there are some people who are interested in it such as historians, history teachers and students who are majoring in history Georgette: When are we going Here, Georgette blatantly flouts quality to be home? maxim since he uses exaggerating I can't feel my foot anymore expression to hints what he wants It's like hell in here! actually to say His utterance is thus deemed to be a hyperbolic expression hence it flouts the second maxim of quality He says something totally wrong by expressing “I can't feel my 64 foot anymore” to imply the addressee the he gets very terrible pain and the utterances “It's like hell in here!” to conversationally implicates the hidden meaning that it is very hot and tight here Georgette: Why don't you give Here, Jake says “The coward is the first me your engine? Mrs.Braddocks: one in the grave” which is clearly Shut up, flouts quality maxim since he can not 70 71 skinny You talk too much! give any sufficient evidence that a Georgette: I may be skinny, but coward people will die sooner It is I'm not a coward something self-evidently false Mrs Braddocks: What did you utterances to be produced, but the say?Say it again! You think speaker utters such kind expressions to you're somebody? Say it again! implicate his indirectly meaning to be Jake: The coward is the first interpreted by Mrs Braddocks So, one in the grave Jake produces hidden meaning that is, he does not like with Mrs Braddocks Mike: Dollars? Here, Mike feels disappointed with Jake: Uh we Robert? Jake’s answer and he feels that thirty Robert: Yeah? thousand dollars is nothing for them Jake: Robert, what we have and he says like asking a rhetorical in the safe? About what, question “Do I look like a beggar?” thirty thirty thousand dollars which is apparently seen that he does in the safe? not need the answer Moreover, he can Robert: Uh yeah not give sufficient evidence that their 75 Jake: You know, I think we have appearance looks like a beggar Hence, in the safe, we got thirty Mike flouts quality maxim and he thousand dollars It's yours conversationally implicates the hidden Mike: Thirty thousand dollars? meaning that thirty thousand dollars is What am I? Do I look like a not enough for him beggar? Edna: Oh My car! He killed The utterance “He killed my car” that 71 84 my car! No! No, no, no, no, no, is stated by Ryden, she flouts the first no, no maxim of quality because she does not Cohn: No, calm down use the truth information She says that a person killed her car; however, there is none killed her car and there is none can kill a car because the car is a thing that does not have spirit Actually, she is enough to say “he broke my car”, it will be more truthful and can be believed Mike: Does anyone ever say no When Brett states the utterance “You to you? all the time”, he uses an exaggerate Brett: You all the time statement which flouts the maxim of quality by giving the information that lies far from the truth It is categorized 10 as an overstatement or hyperbole, 86 because it is impossible that someone always say “no” every time Brett says that may be because Mike often says “No” to him that he cannot count how many times Edna: Oh, yeah! It's like God's When Edna states the utterance “It's 11 just giving birth in my mouth like God's just giving birth in my Mike: Okay That is the girl that mouth”, she exaggerates her statement, 72 102 I fell in love with which flouts the maxim of quality by giving information that is really far from the truth It is categorized as overstatement or hyperbole When she bites the Eskimo pie, she says that God has given birth in her mouth, it seems impossible that giving birth in the mouth She tries to express her feeling after biting the Eskimo pie, that the taste of the Eskimo pie is good and makes her feeling better 41 B The Flouting of Maxim of Quantity Edna Edna: What about the story? Jake: Well, he's dead 12 asks Jake about Mrs Braddocks’s story In this case, Jake flouts the maxim of quantity by giving too little information about 12 the story to tell her that he is not interested in further investigation Waitress: We also have pancakes At a restaurant, Jake and Edna want Jake:Thank you Trying to have a to have breakfast When they are still 13 private conversation in the middle of a conversation, a waitress comes and offers them a lot of foods and beverages that are 73 16 available there Jake still wants to talk to Edna; as a result, he flouts the maxim of quantity by telling the waitress that he is trying to have a private conversation He does it to make the waitress stay away from him and Edna Cohn: I hope you didn't think I Cohn hopes that he does not think dropped you in it badly of him Here, Jake forgives Jake: Don't worry about it The him and says that it was not his fault, 14 fog of war even though he can simply say that 21 he forgives his friend In short, he flouts the maxim of quantity by giving too much information Cohn: Yes, but it wasn't your Cohn fault, was it? 15 wants to confirm Jake’s dismissal cause Instead of answering Jake: That's why I'm depressed I ‘Yes, it’s not my fault.’ Jake flouts 54 got sacked for saying something I the maxim of quantity since his didn't say answer contains too much information C The Flouting of Maxim of Relation/Relevance 16 Mike: Brett, take me with you Here, Brett’s response is clearly 74 17 Brett: Does your sister know irrelevant to the topic what Mike you're here? request He blatantly fails to observe Edna: She's selling khat up there the maxim of relation since he This is her best stuff responds Edna request in “take me with you” by giving a question “ Does your sister know you're here?” which is not relevant at all to the exchange It is apparently not expected answer or response for Edna Therefore, he flouts maxim of relation The hidden meaning is that Brett is worry if Edna’s sister will forbid him to join pirating Brett: I want him We can see that Jake flouts maxim of Cohn: Get out of the way! relation since his response is clearly Jake: Why did he pick him? He's irrelevant with the previous topic from another village! they have discussed before He responds Brett’s choice by uttering 17 “He is from another village!” He does not express what he wants actually tosay explicitly then he flouts the relation maxim to convey the intended meaning Here, he conversationally implicates that he does not agree with Brett’s choice 75 25 Hence, the hidden meaning behind the utterance in “He is from another village!” is that I not agree with your choice, Brett Jake: What's going on, Skinny? In this dialogue, Jake asks Brett Brett: Do what they say and get about the problem happens till make me out of here! him to surrender and receive the Jake: Be strong, man deal, but Brett looks not like with Jake’s question and answer his question by saying “Do what they 18 say and get me out of here!” which is 34 apparently irrelevant to Jake’s question Moreover, Jake absolutely does not desire to get such kind response The hidden meaning that is generated in this dialogue is that it is not time to discuss Jake: Give me some khat Edna’s answer is somewhat Edna: Why? You've had more irrelevant to Jake’s request since he 19 than your share responds Jake’s request by saying Jake: Say who? Give me some “Why? You've had more than your more! share” Here, the implicature that is Edna: Shut up! generated is Edna’s refusal to Jake’s 76 68 Brett: Both of you shut up! Just request Hence the hidden meaning take it! producing by Edna’s utterance in “Why? You've had more than your share” is that she does not want to share her khat with Jake Brett: That's for good luck Jake and Brett talk about Saint Jake: I've always thought that Christopher since the old lady hangs Saint Christopher was a bit of a a medallion with a picture of the Mickey Mouse saint I used to be Saint However, Jake tells her that he 20 an altar boy used to be an altar boy, which is 72 irrelevant since the topic is Saint Christopher He does it to show the Irish mother that he is knowledgeable when it comes to the Catholic Church Robert: There's nothing wrong When Robert asks Jake whether he is with you, Jake Uh, Edna tells me mildly depressed or not, Jake flouts you 21 think depressed? you're mildly the maxim of quality by being irrelevant He says that he is 78 Jake: Well, I got the sack I'm unemployed, although Robert asks unemployed about his health He does it to explain why he is depressed 22 92 77 Robert: Try running When Robert suggests Jake what Jake: I said the opposite of what I should he to to make him feel was sacked for better, Jake flouts the maxim of relation by giving an irrelevant answer Jake tells his problem again to make him feel better Robert: Would you like a Tune, Inside a car, Robert offers Jake a Jake? snack Jake: If I hum it, will you play it because the word ‘tune’ means a named ‘Tune’ However, series of musical notes, Jake flouts 95 the maxim of relation by making an 23 irrelevant statement He makes a pun from the word ‘tune’ to joke around D The Flouting of Maxim of Manner 24 Edna: Isn’t that a pub across In fact either Bill or Jake knows for the way or my eyes sure that a place across the way which deceive me? Edna refers to is really a pub Thus, “it Bill : It has the look of a pub is” would have been the shortest and Jake: It looks to me like a most pub question Edna just asked From this we uncomplicated reply to the derive an implicature What both Bill and Jake have said is just for a joke 78 57 Brett:Don’t be cross, darling Brett’s last contribution in (25) patently Just flouts the maxim of manner when she left the count He brought me here says “He’s quite one of us”, because Jake: What’s he like? her utterance, the same as the previous Brett : The count?Oh, rather case, contains obscurity Thus, it can be He’s quite one of us understood if her interlocutor cannot be expected to know what she means by her utterance No wonder if there will be many questions in his mind such as: How come the count is claimed to be one of them, is he the same with them, if so, in what way, does he have the 25 same background of life with them, where does he come from, how his personalities are like, etc On the assumption that Brett is still cooperating, Jake will try to figure out a particular reason for her failure to give a clear easily understood remark Brett through her flouting tries to implicate that she can guarantee that the count will be a fine new friend for her and also Jake There is no need for him to worry about the count and all he has to is just welcome him 79 80 ... contains the flouted maxims in Ernest Hemingway s The sun also rise” In analyzing, Grice’s theory of conversational maxims is used as the basic theory to analyze the conversations In addition,... carry out a research entitled A study on the flouting of maxims used in the novel The sun also rises” by Ernest Hemingway 1.2 Aims of the research The aims of the study are to analyze the flouting. .. what they intentionally mean This also gives more explanation about the flouting maxims used in the novel The sun also rises” by Ernest Hemingway generated from the conversations It helps the