LEXICAL MEANS OF CREATING EKPHRASIS IN THE TEXT OF DONNA TARTT’S NOVEL “THE GOLDFINCH” IN ENGLISH

Abstract

Donna Tartt’s novel “The Goldfinch” is dedicated to the story of the loss and acquisition of the painting of the same name by artist Carel Fabritius. The painting becomes a key element of the plot: the protagonist gains and loses it, which resonates with the key events of his own life. Due to the constant references to the appearance of the painting The Goldfinch, its plot and the technique of its creation, the researcher talks about ekphrasis in Donna Tartt’s novel. The study examines lexical means of creating ekphrasis in the original text: definitions that the hero-narrator uses to describe the canvas reveal his feelings and the complex of sensations associated with this work of art. The very name of the bird “goldfinch” in English includes the element “gold”, which is enhanced by words with the semantics of “light”, “shine”, “brightness”, etc. From a symbol of forever lost maternal love, the painting “Goldfinch” expands its functionality in the text to a general reference to everything that was dear to the main character and that he lost. The results of the study include the identification of elements of ekphrasis not only as a direct description of the painting, but also as a play on the fate of the painting, its history and the features of the techniques of its creation in the plot of the work of art.