Quoted To Question, Reverberated to Reject:Intertextuality As an Evaluative Strategy by Aslam
Keywords:
Sketch Engine, Sacred Texts, Intertextuality, Evaluative Strategy, Corpus Tools, Anglophone LiteratureAbstract
Fictional writings employ intertextual elements not only as a narrative strategy and a stylistic device but also as an interpretative and evaluative strategy. This paper unveils the use of intertextual elements for introducing new twists in the fictional text of the Pakistani Anglophone novel, Maps for Lost Lovers by Aslam. The instances of material intertextuality are categorized, analyzed, and discussed for subverting and transforming the meaning of the quoted texts. The research demonstrates that the writer makes intertextual uses of historical allusions and Islamic scriptures to create meaning in a complete clash with the conventional meaning. The current research highlights the role of intertextuality as a device to parody sacred scriptures. The writer subverts the meaning of the sacred scriptures by giving a subversive character to the allusion. The research also elucidates the use of corpus tools for tracing the instances of intertextual elements by using KWIC and frequency lists.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Dr. Azka Khan, Ramsha Khan (Author)
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