Phraseological Units in Theodore Dreiser’s Novels: Semantic, Stylistic, And Functional Analysis

This article investigates the use of phraseological units in Theodore Dreiser’s novels, primarily Sister Carrie and Jennie Gerhardt. Phraseological units are examined as fixed or semi-fixed expressions that carry semantic, stylistic, and pragmatic value beyond literal meaning. The study aims to identify the main types of phraseological units in Dreiser’s prose and to determine their role in characterization, emotional description, and representation of social reality. The research is based on a qualitative textual analysis of selected passages from reliable editions of Dreiser’s novels available through Project Gutenberg and interpreted through established scholarship on idioms and phraseology. The results show that phraseological units in Dreiser’s fiction perform several key functions: they intensify emotional expression, compress social meaning, reinforce realism, and reveal relations of power, insecurity, and class aspiration. The study concludes that phraseological units are an essential component of Dreiser’s narrative technique and contribute significantly to the naturalistic force of his prose.

Перевод пока недоступен