TRACING MEANING THROUGH SOUND: A STYLISTIC ANALYSIS OF FARZANA AQIB’S CHASE

Abstract

This paper examines how phonological features such as repetition and anagrammatic restructuring create meaning in Farzana Aqib’s poem Chase (2021). Using a stylistic approach grounded in Leech and Short’s (2007) phonological theory and Abdul Karim Khan’s (2020) anagram method, the research analyzes sound devices like alliteration, assonance, and consonance. The findings show that these sound patterns metaphorically reflect themes of loss, chaos, and cultural identity in the Pakistani context. This is the first study to apply anagrammatic analysis to Aqib’s work, offering a new lens for examining sound and meaning in non-native English poetry.