The Analysis of Social Roles and Speech Acts in A. Qahhor and O. Henry’s Short Stories

Abstract

This article explores the sociopragmatic analysis of social roles and speech acts in the short stories of Abdulla Qahhor and O. Henry, focusing on their representation of social contexts, power dynamics, and human relationships. By examining Qahhor’s “Anor” and “The Patient” alongside O. Henry’s “The Ransom of Red Chief” and “The Last Leaf,” the study highlights the role of language in portraying societal issues like poverty, gender roles, and moral dilemmas. The analysis of speech acts directives, commissives, and expressives reveals the authors’ differing approaches to social critique. Qahhor’s works, set against the socio-economic backdrop of Soviet Uzbekistan, utilize language to reflect class struggles, family dynamics, and ethical conflicts, while O. Henry uses humor and irony to depict the complexities of urban American life. This comparative study emphasizes the cultural differences and similarities in the authors' treatment of social themes, offering a broader understanding of the social implications embedded in their language use. The findings underscore the power of language in shaping social understanding, demonstrating how speech acts contribute to the portrayal of personal and societal struggles across different cultural contexts.