Style as the Woman: a Critical Analysis of Fatima Pam’s <i>Once upon a Country</i>

Abstract

The dynamic nature of language usually brings about differences in its usage among different groups of people as well as individuals. It has been linguistically observed that no two individuals with a common language use it in exactly the same way. This is undoubtedly a question of style or “different strokes for different folks”. It is in the given context that this paper assesses the salient linguistic and literary peculiarities of Fatima Pam in Once upon a Country. The features which are arguably unusual or original to the author in this collection of stories include a concentrated use of compound and complex sentences, a generally simplified diction, a diversified register, an omniscient and condensed narrative style that incorporates social comments, a non-linear presentation of events, and the use of proverbs and poetry.