Stylistic Analysis of Figurative Language in Kamila Shamsie's Broken Verses

Abstract

This paper analyzes the stylistic use of metaphor, simile, and personification in Kamila Shamsie’s Broken Verses (2005). Combining close reading with qualitative tracking, specifically using the Metaphor Identification Procedure (MIP) and reliability testing, the study examines how these devices model the protagonist Aasmaani’s experiences of memory, loss, and political anxiety. The findings reveal that metaphor clusters mirror Aasmaani’s growth from emotional paralysis to agency, while similes and personification effectively modulate the narrative's mood. Notably, these devices intensify during political scenes to depict Karachi as an active force rather than a simple backdrop. Ultimately, this research underscores how figurative language constructs the novel’s ethical and political themes, offering a replicable method for studying South Asian Anglophone fiction.  

Keywords: Stylistics, Figurative Language, Metaphor, Simile, Personification, Mind-Style, Kamila Shamsie, Broken Verses