EXPLORING LANGUAGE AND THEMATIC FOREGROUNDING IN RICHARD CONNELL’S THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME

Abstract

This study presents a stylistic analysis of Richard Connell’s short story The Most Dangerous Game through the lens of Foregrounding Theory, originally proposed by Jan Mukařovský (1964) and later expanded by Geoffrey Leech (1969). The research investigates the roles of linguistic deviation and parallelism as key foregrounding mechanisms that underscore the narrative’s central themes of violence, morality, and survival instinct. By identifying and categorizing lexical, syntactic, phonological, and semantic deviations, along with patterns of repetition and structural parallelism, the study demonstrates how stylistic choices capture reader attention and emphasize thematic tensions. Findings reveal that Connell’s strategic use of language not only heightens suspense and emotional intensity but also challenges conventional moral boundaries, prompting reflection on the dichotomy between civilization and savagery. This study affirms the relevance of Foregrounding Theory in literary analysis and provides valuable insights for future research in stylistics, comparative literature, and literary pedagogy.