Saber Farhangian - Malayer University, Malayer, Hamedan

The present paper focuses on the analysis of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s masterpiece The Great Gatsby from the viewpoint of foregrounding theory in stylistics. More specifically, it tries to present and also interpret different types of linguistic deviation in The Great Gatsby to give the readers a better understanding of the aesthetic and artistic aspects of the novel. Foregrounding is a technique within literary devices whereby an author creates defamiliarization through linguistic dislocation to sharpen the readers’ vision and understanding of a literary text and to give them new clarity, epiphany, and motivation, etc. Foregrounding is achieved through Deviation (irregularity) and Parallelism (over regularity). While deviation is turning aside from normal language, parallelism is repetition of sounds, words, structures, and ideas. Using such foregrounding devices not only enhances the meaning potential of a literary text, but provides readers with a possibility of aesthetic experience. The writer of this paper has explored various levels of linguistic deviation in The Great Gatsby from the stylistic perspective. By introducing, interpreting, and clarifying these foregrounding features from several levels, the writer has found Fitzgerald to have his own unique writing style

F. Scott Fitzgerald, foregrounding theory, stylistics, linguistic deviation, The Great Gatsby