11 ul ZAFAR, Nida, SAFDAR, Aamna & ABBAS, Safdar. The Legitimized Use of Figurative Language: A Pragmatic Study of Multiculturalism and Political Intrigues of Shamsie’s “Burnt Shadows”: A Pragmatic Study of Multiculturalism and Political Intrigues. Quality in Sport. 2022;8(4):11-20. eISSN 2450-3118. DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.12775/QS.2022.08.04.001 https://apcz.umk.pl/QS/article/view/41048 The journal has had 20 points in Ministry of Education and Science of Poland parametric evaluation. Annex to the announcement of the Minister of Education and Science of December 21, 2021. No. 32582. Has a Journal's Unique Identifier: 201398. Scientific disciplines assigned: Economics and finance (Field of social sciences); Management and Quality Sciences (Field of social sciences). Punkty Ministerialne z 2019 - aktualny rok 20 punktów. Załącznik do komunikatu Ministra Edukacji i Nauki z dnia 21 grudnia 2021 r. Lp. 32582. Posiada Unikatowy Identyfikator Czasopisma: 201398. Przypisane dyscypliny naukowe: Ekonomia i finanse (Dziedzina nauk społecznych); Nauki o zarządzaniu i jakości (Dziedzina nauk społecznych). © The Authors 2022; This article is published with open access at Licensee Open Journal Systems of Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Poland Open Access. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial License which permits any noncommercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author (s) and source are credited. This is an open access article licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non commercial license Share alike. (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/) which permits unrestricted, non commercial use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the work is properly cited. The authors declare that there is no conflict of interests regarding the publication of this paper. Received: 25.10.2021. Revised: 19.11.2022. Accepted: 26.11.2022. Legitimized Use of Figurative Language: A Pragmatic Study of Multiculturalism and Political Intrigues of Shamsie’s “Burnt Shadows” Nida ul Zafar1, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5769-3800, n_zafar_007@hotmail.com Aamna Safdar1, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8769-1558, aamnasaf@outlook.com Safdar Abbas*1, https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4040-9305, safdarbloch1986@yahoo.com 1 School of Foreign languages and Literature, Southwest University, Chongqing, China *Corresponding Author Safdar Abbas is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at School of Foreign languages and Literature, Southwest University, Chongqing, China. Email: safdarbloch1986@yahoo.com; Tel: +86-23-68250136 Abstract The study explores the legitimized use of the figure of speech in Burnt Shadows. The author uses language as a source of connection between the characters who are different in their eras, countries, and cultural backgrounds. The objective of the study is to explore the effects of language on multiculturalism and the impact of political unrest on the lives of common people during the second world war. She has used lingual devices to enhance the intensity of circumstances as well as for the accurate pasteurization of the sentimental and physical conditions of Hiroko and Sajjad. Specific figurative techniques like metaphor, simile, personification, irony, epigram, and symbolism have been explored in the text of Burnt Shadows. These techniques expose the hidden truths and aggressive nature of political conflict in the lives of the people of Japan, the Subcontinent, and European countries. Pragmatic studies have been applied to the text as a mirror to see the function and nature of wordplay in the novel. The results expose that the author has artistically applied specific devices in the formation of text in order to highlight the role of language in the development of cultural intimacy and maintaining social relationships. The figures of speech are also helpful to map the mind of readers according to the plot construction of the novel. Keywords: Atomic destruction; Burnt Shadows; figurative language; multiculturalism; political intrigues Introduction Language is a source of communication that is used to share ideas and thoughts about everyday affairs and situations[1].The diverse use of language in the cultural and social context makes it worthwhile for interpretation[2]. The basic function of literature is ethical teaching. Ethical teaching is the fundamental attribute of literature as well as the ultimate purpose of literature[3]. Literature, on the other hand, is a reflection of the thoughts of a writer who gives a concrete form to his words[4]. It is an integral fact that literature cannot be divorced from language [5]. Language is presented with legitimized masks in the literary text to present the hidden discourses and ideological sociopolitical agendas[6, 7]. In this way, language is a reflection of the thoughts and cultural life in which it is https://apcz.umk.pl/QS/article/view/41048 https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5769-3800 https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8769-1558 https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4040-9305 12 produced [8]. The novel is the accompaniment of literature as literature is formed with language. Language is formed and acts in multifarious ways to expose and decompose the social and traditional lives of people. Figurative language consists of the figure of speech that is frequently used in the literature. There is a great difference between common and literary language[9]. The figure of speech clarifies, emphasizes, embellishes the written language, and allows readers to understand the implied implicates and meanings. Hence the language of literature is more playful, creative, suggestive, and beautiful by giving aesthetic pleasure to the readers. The figure of speech is the flavor of language that gives particular contextual meaning and makes writing pleasurable for readers[10]. Kamila Shamsie is a remarkable novelist in South Asian literature. Her novel “Burnt Shadows” is a historical novel that consists of four sections intersecting the history of two families in the background of political unrest and war between Asian and European countries. She has portrayed the final day of the 2nd world war in Japan in 1945, beginning of the Indo-Pak partition, the early days of Pakistan's emergence in 1947, the aftermaths of 9/11, and the invasion of the USA on Afghanistan. The protagonist of the novel is Hiroko and all other characters are presented in the novel with her references. Burnt Shadows is a well-defined example of rich thinking presented in lyrical prose and extremely inventive figurative language. The writer has given a well-defined picture of the multiculturalism of Japan, the USA, Afghanistan, India, and Pakistan[11]. She has employed the figures of speech excessively that have dual functions. On the one hand, it embellishes the text; on the other hand, it makes the offensive tone and bitter criticism lightheartedly. It is her style that attracts the attention of readers across the world. Figurative language has been used as a tool to unmask the ugly face of political conspiracies and the effects of cultural diversity on the lives of individuals[12]. To make their bitterness digestible for her intended audience, she has coated the language with a sweet layer of literary devices[13]. By utilizing specific linguistic techniques that enhance the curiosity of audiences, she has depicted the poignant lives of people in Japan, Pakistan, India, and the United States through the beauty of language[14]. The use of cultural imagery and Urdu words in the text is called deviation[15]. The writer has deviated from the conventional style to make the foreign readers familiar with the language of Muslims by the utilization of different words that are agents of the representation of Muslim convictions and ethnicity. The words like murg musslam, naan, Aba, and chutney give a reflection of the Asian lifestyle[16]. “At the end of the table, a basket of naan was surrounded by various a chaat chutneys and the delicacy that Aba claimed Shakespeare had foretold:'' Such stuffed chilies as dreams are made on”[17]. The author of Burnt Shadows has dispensed languages in her novel as a sociocultural mediated practice because language is a way of connecting her characters. It is worth mentioning that Hiroko’s capability to switch her languages is a source of opening doors of opportunities to achieve her intended goals[18]. The German language becomes a source of intimacy between Elizabeth and Hiroko. They share their grief, happiness, and passions without the interference of Elizabeth’s husband James who is an English speaker. It is the lingual spaces that end the relationship between James and Elizabeth. Hence language works as a bridge between two opposite sides[14] She has adored the language of her characters and they are denoted as lovers of their language. It is not odd to say that she has selected a figure of speech as an agent that carries the meaning deeper in readers’ mind. She has employed language as a plot device that emphasizes the fact that if diasporic people want to establish good relationships they will have to adapt and learn their language to give a proper form to their relationship[19]. She has used symbols as a stylistic device to present the double vision of the events. The author writes “So I had Hiroko and Konrad’s relationship developed around Konrad’s need for a translator who knew both Japanese and German. But as often happens with novels that plot device quickly became a troupe of the novel – a symbol of various characters’ willingness to enter different worlds and experiences and make them their own”[20]. The studies of figurative language have a deep interest in dealing with the connection of multiculturalism and its basic need to end the lingual barrier in the construction of good relationships. Linguistics is a multidisciplinary field that presents language concerning society, culture, political sciences, and history. As a polylingual and multicultural individual, Shamsie's conscious choice and use of figure of speech gives readers a deep insight into her personal experiences. Through the figure of speech, she exposes the real face of different political intrigues in the study. This qualitative study examines the use of figures of speech in Shamsie's novel Burnt Shadows. The text of the novel has been analyzed in light of different literary devices that are used to expose the hidden political and social discourses. The main object of the analysis is to raise awareness about the lingual techniques that performers function to convey contextual meaning. In the novel, the author uses them to illustrate the true meaning of polished political truths. 13 Pragmatic study of Figurative Language This section of the study deals with the theoretical framework pragmatics which is an important branch of linguistics. Pragmatics is applied in research as a lens to see the close aspects of a literary text[21]. The application of theory is important as it clarifies the meaning of the text by exposing the hidden implicatures that are constructed by the writer. As literature is marked by its exclusive use of language that is chosen by a writer to structure his work, its results are conscious and crafted. The effects are intensified by the utilization of figurative and literary devices that enriches the power and impression of words in the minds of readers. The figure of speech is a phrase or word that represents separate meaning from its literal definition and explanations[22]. These devices are employed for diverse purposes and the creation of dramatic impressions by manipulating the different techniques in the form of the classification of words[23] The role of figurative techniques is central in the literature that is employed by the writers to present different aspects of human life. For illustration, metaphors have a deep impact on cognitive perceptions and native speakers mostly do not realize the presence of metaphors in their speech as a result metaphors influence the opinion and thoughts of readers[24]. It is directly interconnected with culture and ideology and affects political conventions. A metaphor is an effective and powerful instrument that is employed to change the thinking and action of people[25]. Pragmatically used symbols are representations of the double vision of things and are used by the writers to convey meaning beyond the text. Symbolism refers to “the process by which a person, place, object, or event comes to stand for some abstract idea or condition”. Symbolism has employed the creation of a connection between ordinary life and moral codes[26]. The title of the novel has a deep symbolical significance as it describes the extremity of political and cultural diversity. At the very beginning of the novel, the writer quotes some poetic lines for the description of the burning souls and bodies of the people as the major characters are burning shadows of their past, and the pain of separations from their loving ones, hence it is not odd to note the diverse symbolic language employed in the novel[27]. She has compared the difference between past and present times. Doubt and political unrest brings disaster for the common people but it is an age of technology that is used destructively. “In past wars, only homes burnt, but this time, don’t be surprised if even loneliness ignites[16]. Figurative Lingual Analysis of “Burnt Shadows” The present study deals with textual analysis of Burnt Shadows that is delimited to the three heading under the study of specific figures of speech to evaluate the impact of language on multiculturalism and political intrigues in historical perspectives of different countries from the period 1945 to 2001. The primary objective of the study is to expose the hidden ideological fundamentals that are constructed in the language by the writer in the mask of embellished devices of language. The application of different devices is being analyzed to demonstrate the destruction of war. The textual analysis of language gives answers to the research question with the deep reflection of different events that are presented as evidence from the novel Burnt Shadows. The study answers the questions that how language codes political unrest? What is the role of a figure of speech? and what sort of language is employed to show the cultural difference in the characters? Legitimized Use of Figure of Speech to expose Political Intrigues Shamsie’s Burnt Shadows deals with the political unrest and conflicts of different countries and the characters are representative of the role of political fundamentals and political intrigues in quite a realistic way. She has made excellent use of different figures of speech to highlight the legitimized truth of western civilization and the abhorrent face of the colonial powers of European countries. She has employed language as a tool to indicate the destructive powerful countries who invade the developing countries for getting power and geographical and political control. The first-person narration is used by the novelist. She has depicted the destruction of Nagasaki in 1945 after the atomic attack of the United States. The use of different stylistic devices enhances the intensity of the circumstances. She has depicted a pathetic and poignant picture of the dead and survivors of Nagasaki. She has employed metaphor, irony, and personification to portray the circumstances of the war and the atrocities that are the result of the atomic bomb. The figures of speech are employed to support her arguments that how war spread destruction and how the Japanese cities became a heap of human bodies in the matter of a few seconds. 14 Implicit Metaphors  “Urakami Cathedral with its stone figures that stand against the sky”  Reptile crawling up the path towards her house”  The earth has already opened up, disgorged hell”[28] Metaphor is a remarkable stylistic technique that is used to make a direct contrast between two non-similar things. It is the representation of things and characters with different qualities and traits. She has employed metaphorical language to expose the aggression, bloodshed, and deterioration of war that transformed beautiful human beings into a heap of blood and flesh and made them deform. She has contrasted with the events and the beauty of the city before the attack of the atomic bomb. The depiction of Urakami Cathedral is presented like a powerful figure that is right at the highness of the sky. It is the center of attraction and religious piety for the people of Japan. “The highness of the church building is standing against the grey clouds that want to pull down it on the flat ground” indicates the coming danger and destruction of the war that will force the mighty tower to bow down on the earth and ruin its grandeur and beauty. Implicit metaphor is employed to a large extent to show the extremity of circumstances after the atomic attack on Nagasaki that transformed the beauty of the country into screams of helpless people, the limbs of human beings scattered everywhere, and people shrieking for help. The air is filled with smoke and the smell of blood. Hiroko is unable to understand the reason for the chaos immediately. She has used implicit metaphor to show the unawareness of the people about the matter because everyone is busy in their routine life and has an air that the war is won by Japan and everything will be normal within a few days but is the funeral of their all misunderstandings as well as the funeral of their loving ones. The crawling figure is presented as the father of Hiroko’s father who has no hair, no skin, no flesh, no arms but a few last breaths that urge him to move with the desire to meet his daughter but it is his daughter who is unable to recognize her father in such a condition that she is looking a creature of another planet, not an earthly creature. Their language implicatures are employed to show a realistic picture of the aggression of political selfishness that how rulers take the lives of countless innocent people under the name of victory. Hiroko’s father is compared to a reptile that is crawling towards her house. Here the biological comparison is made by the novelist to expose the poignant condition to see her father in such a condition. The choice of vocabulary is exclusive to show the results of political conflicts that how powerful have pitiless hearts that crush the weaker mercilessly. As she writes that “The reptile raises its head and the girl drops the spear and calls out Hiroko’s father’s name.” The word reptile is implicit in the physical appearance of her father Irony  “Her fingers pluck at shreds embedded in something else. Shreds of what – skin or silk”?  “Where there is skin, there is feeling. Where there is something else there is none”.  “It falls from her shoulders but does not”.  “Touch the ground. Something keeps it attached to her.” (Shamsie, 2009, p.22) Irony means the opposite of expectation. The irony of the situation is frequently fallen an impression of surprise in the readers. The opening of the novel gives a coloring and beautiful sight of the life of peaceful Nagasaki. Hiroko is shocked because only a few minutes ago she was with her lover in the fragrant air of the city that is now filled with the smell of smoke and rages of people. She touched her back and does not feel her skin but is still confused that her back is flesh-less or feeling-less as her finger is feeling the back skin but her back is not feeling the touch of her finger. It is the excellency of her style that she used language in such an ironic way that the readers are still in the ironic situation who are expecting a lovely life of Hiroko but it is odd what is going on and how it has changed over a few seconds that her skin shreds. She has employed the irony of situation and fate because Hiroko’s condition is defined with the painful words and poignant language tone that is vaguely used to show how a few minutes are enough for the destruction of Japan. The shreds of her flesh are not only representative of the pain of her condition but also she has highlighted the brutalities and aggression of the United States and atomic powers who used science as a tool for the destruction of others. Ironic lingual expression is wielded by the novelist to satirize the deterioration and bloodshed of war that eats human beings. As she writes “Her fingers pluck at shreds embedded in something else. Shreds of what – skin or silk?” the wording like pluck, shreds, embedded, silk or skin refers to the difference between an individual’s 15 appearance and reality. The expectation shares that it is not a story of a single person but also the whole city is burning in the fire and the earth and trees lose their real face. War snatches the identity of people and changes human bodies into crawling fleshless insects who are even unable to identify themselves. They are not human beings but also enemies of a powerful giant that is closest to the first to ruin the whole city. The irony of post-world war is that it swallows thousands of people in a city and the beauty of nature turns into torture bearers of civilization and peace. No matter how to regain everything with time and how the survivors were ruined by imposing heavy taxes and inflation on them while the political elite class did not satisfy their hunger for power even after taking the lives of countless people. Personification  Urakami Valley has become her flesh. Her flesh has become Urakami Valley  who knew fire roared so angrily, ran so quickly? It is running up the slopes now; soon it will catch her  “She runs her thumb over what was once skin. It is bumped and raw, lifeless”. (Shamsie, 2009, p.26) Personification is a stylistic technique that is used to present nonliving things with the qualities of living things. She has depicted the emotional pain and traumatic stress of the survivors by the utilization of personification. Hiroko's suffering and pain are exponents of the victims of wars. Hiroko referred to the valley as her flesh which indicates the natural patriotic passion for cities and states. The attack on the city turns her flesh into pieces as it is the extremity of the situation and emotional stress. The excessive use of negative words shares the same meaning but gives a reflection of Hiroko’s feelings. As the vocabulary like “It is bumped and raw, lifeless, so much to learn, the touch of dead flesh”. Shamsie has personified the fire by giving it characteristics of living things as she writes, “it's roaring, it's running, it's angry, running up on slop and catch her”, the selection of characteristics of living things on fire seems like a monster that is leaping over the whole city by ruining quickly and also wants to eat Hiroko who is running to save herself. While the magnitude of the event, as mentioned above, was extremely severe, the depiction of it in Burnt Shadows is quite powerful as well. The way she writes about the ‘evaporation’ of Konrad fills the heart with horror and chills. Nonetheless, the story is not only about the physical effects of the bombings, it covers the human aspects of it, illustrating the long-lasting consequences of it on the social and emotional lives of those affected by the bombings throughout the life of Hiroko. TABLE 1: The List of Figurative Language Found in Burnt Shadows to expose Political Intrigues No Page No 19 Line Quotation from Text Kind of figure of speech Reason 1 3 Urakami Cathedral with its stone figures that stand against the sky Metaphor Urakami Cathedral is a metaphor for cultural identity 2 4 reptile crawling up the path towards her house Metaphor The reptile is a metaphor for Hiroko’s father 3 5 The earth has already opened up, disgorged hell. Metaphor Discharged hell is a metaphor for atomic destruction 4 Page no. 22 Line 14 “Her fingers pluck at shreds embedded in something else. Shreds of what – skin or silk? Irony It is an ironic situation 16 5 15 Where there is skin, there is feeling. Where there is something else there is none. Irony Ironic condition of a sudden attack on people 6 16 It falls from her shoulders but does not touch the ground. Something keeps it attached to her.” Irony Hiroko is confused about differentiating between her flesh or skin 8 27 Urakami Valley has become her flesh. Her flesh has become Urakami Valley. Personification Urakami Valley is personified as a human being 9 28 who knew fire roared so angrily, ran so quickly? It is running up the slopes now; soon it will catch her Personification Fire catches runs, and slopes like a living thing Mellifluous Coexistence of Multiculturalism Shamsie has presented a harmonious coexistence in the different cultures that are presented in the novels and this harmony is also looked at in the friendly, sincere, and lovely relationships between people who are different in their language, culture, and traditions but that are interconnected by their lingual characteristics. Hiroko and Sajjad encounter diverse geographical localities and cultures but their language is a way of connection. They are deeply interested in beliefs, traditions, and costumes as cosmopolitan features at the international level. They expose an exclusive veneration to political, cultural, racial, and economic distinctions to meet the variation of comfortable and peaceful coexistence. Hiroko has been presented as a dynamic character who is much conscious to learn about the culture of India and its language because she is much confident that for a better future, she will have to learn the language and culture of the subcontinent. She has been consciously presented as a protagonist who has a wonderful personality and a learning soul. Language works as a bridge to produce a strong relationship between Hiroko and Elizabeth. It is the Urdu language that helps her to understand the norms and traditions of Indian and Muslim cultures. The social and political riots bring people to close one another. That is why Shamsie has used hidden implicature in the figure of speech to depict the cultural intimacy in her characters. She has used figurative devices to show the cultural diversity of different countries. Simile  He feels as though he is snapping the backs of tiny creatures.  Giant camphor tree to which the birds are fastened, rotating slowly in the faint breeze.  First referred to his purple notebooks as birds. (Shamsie, 2009, p.12) A simile is a remarkable figure of speech in which two dissimilar concepts and objects are compared with the use of words “like, as” that simile is constructed in language for the establishment of equivalency. She has employed similes to produce concrete images to show the cultural and natural beauty of Japan. The grass is compared with human beings as the green fresh grass is crawling as she feels that she is walking on the human creature. It also predicts the coming danger that will eat the grass and human beings crawling on the earth. The camphor tree gives a reflection of cultural identity as it stands for natural beauty and spiritual comfort. Hiroko’s notebook is compared with birds because it is the imaginative world that gives her absolute freedom in bitter social and domestic circumstances. She is declared a daughter of a traitor in society and she is alone struggling for the health of her mother. It is his notebooks that give her wings to fly in the world that is free from the fret and fever of her surroundings. The use of similes in the text help readers visualize the scene that is depicted by Shamsie to show the beauty of the city. The simile is employed to show the pathetic condition of the poachers of atomic invasion. The people who were near the explosion, bodies change into skeletons immediately, and their skin is peeled off like grapes. It is the severity of inhumanity. The comparison of grapes and human beings described the extended nature of lacerations 17 and injuries that resulted from invasion. Powerful crushes the weaker and the superpower of the world and also treat the other countries like a stepmother by demolishing their innocent people. War is the name of deterioration and devastation. The novelist has employed exclusive vocabulary and comparisons to showcase the ruined condition of the people of Japan. Epigram  “Ammi Jaan—’ Sajjad said, trying hard to find the words  It doesn’t make my dupatta  “As though the soft dhuk,  were a single muezzin of Jama Masjid beginning to call for namaz” Shamsie, 2009, p.56,57) Epigram is an interesting, brief, memorable, and witty expression that is employed in satirical manners. Shamsie has employed epigram in the novel to shed light on their thematic concern of multiculturalism. On the one side, she has employed different words in the Urdu language to give a cultural identification of the Pakistani language and on the other hand, it also creates fun for the readers to decrease the intensity of the circumstances. The marvelous characteristic is the use of strong cultural and religious identity that is an exponent of strong cultural identity. Hence Shamsie has employed specific words that are related to the cultural identity of the Muslim characters. Sajjad’s conversation with his mother is a blend of Urdu and English words like “Ammi Jan, dupatta”. Ammi Jan indicates the cultural identity and relationship of mother and son while the word “dupatta” depicted the gender distinctions in the Muslim world. Although it is a part of the Muslim clothing style. It is a strong symbol of the Muslim religion. Hence, the writer has attempted to distinguish her religion and cultural identity. As Sajjad’s mother says to him, “‘I have a strong will. It doesn’t make my dupatta fall off my head” indicates the contrast between traditions and norms of east and west but despite all these differences, it is the same language that connects all people in quite an authentic way. The author has used code stitching in the work as she has employed Urdu codes to give a notion and reflection of history, culture, and world politics. Code-switching English to Urdu vocabulary gives a legitimized impression of the patriotic passion of the writer. The use of the Urdu language gives the reflection of the religious and cultural life standards of Muslims. The word dhuk indicate the life standards of the Muslim community in the sub-continent. Even though the sub-continent becomes a house of different nations that are completely different in norms and tradition but its cultural differences can be felt in the word selection and social life. The word “muezzin” is an Urdu word that means a person who calls for prayers five times a day to the Muslims. The novelist has deliberately used the word muezzin to convey a cultural awareness of the Muslim community. She has written, Jama Masjid instead of a mosque to declare a worship place for Muslims who have their own distinctive culture and religion. Symbolism  “Her eyes followed a pale-winged butterfly”  “flew out between the stone pillars and then reeled back”  "No trees growing in courtyards for the English”  “No rooms clustered around those courtyards; instead, separations and demarcations" (Shamsie, 2009, p.33) Symbolism is a multi-functional term that is employed for the construction of meaning, images, and concepts and the representation of ideologically constructed truths. Symbols are generally used for the presentation of things with dual meanings. Shamsie has presented double vision by excessive use of symbols in the graphological structures of language and diverse symbols for the characterization of multifarious cultures. The selection of words is used symbolically. Elizabeth talks about the golden period of the Muslim dynasty in the subcontinent that has become now the past and everything has changed after the arrival of colonizers. The pale-winged butterfly has been used as a symbol of the destruction and deterioration of the royal dynasty of Muslims and Indians. The butterfly is a symbol of resurrection. The pale wings indicate the decay of cultural identity and the privileged nature of colonizers. The stone pillar is a symbol of the hard-hearted nature of colonizers who snatch the identity of the people. The selection of words is excellent because every word is equipped with diverse meanings and discourses. As the butterfly flew back due to the staggering heat is a sign of bloodshed and fire of war. The riots of separation and departure of colonizers from the subcontinent but countless people become the victim of this 18 separation. Shamsie has employed language as a way to construct the lingual implicature and to convey meaning beyond the text to the readers. A tree is used as a symbol of natural beauty and rich natural resources that are found in the East. These are the resources that attract the attention of the colonizers who came with the pretension of treading and becoming the ruler of all nations. Sajid’s remark that "No trees growing in courtyards for the English, no rooms clustered around those courtyards” indicate his disgust and the imposing of English people over their country as there is no place for them but they prevailed all over the country. Their arrival brought disorder and anarchy to the whole world. The natural beauty and harmony ended. Tree is a sign of blessing and plenty of sources while the tree cannot grow in the courtyard of English indicating that they are unwelcomed visitors to the lands of other nations. TABLE 2: Figurative Language Found in Burnt Shadows to indicate Mellifluous Coexistence of Multiculturalism No Page no 12 line Quotation from Text Kind of figure of speech Reason 10 13 he feels as though he is snapping the backs of tiny creatures Simile The grass is compared with a tiny creature 11 15 giant camphor tree to which the birds are fastened, rotating slowly in the faint breeze Simile The tree is compared to a giant and the silence of a breeze is called a faint breeze 12 15 first referred to his purple notebooks as birds Simile Notebook is compared with bird 13 Page no 56 line 29 “Ammi Jaan—’ Sajjad said Epigram Epigram indicates Muslim culture 14 30 It doesn’t make my dupatta Epigram Duppta is an epigram of feminism 15 31 “As though the soft dhuk, Epigram Soft dhuk is representative of cultural identity 16 32 were a single muezzin of Jama Masjid begin to call for namaz” Epigram Religious distinctions between Muslims 17 Page no 58 Line 25 Her eyes followed a pale-winged butterfly Symbolism A pale butterfly is a sign of the dead culture of the subcontinent after the arrival of the English 18 26 flew out between the stone pillars and then reeled back, Symbolism Stone pillars are a sign of the stone- hearted nature of cruel rulers 19 19 27 "No trees growing in courtyards for the English Symbolism Trees are a sign of natural beauty 20 28 no rooms clustered around those courtyards; instead, separations and demarcations" (Shamsie, 2009, p.33 Symbolism Loss of cultural hegemony Conclusion Using figure of speech in a literary text enhances not only the vocabulary of the reader, but also the effect of the text[22]. Shamsie uses numerous literary devices to present words with pictorial qualities for the purpose of clarifying the reader's understanding. In her writing, she has used figurative language to convey depth, a variety of cultural meanings, and a sentimental tone. The language in a literary text is flowery and fragrant, which differentiates it from other formal writing. The author use of metaphor creates a feeling of fear and pity for the people of Japan and on the other hand, it also indicates the cruelties and bloodshed of war and produces a hatred for the invaders. She employs metaphorical language to reveal the aggression of war. Simile is used to show a comparison of the beauty of nature in Japan that transformed into ugliness after the atomic attack. Irony refers to a difference in appearance and reality[29]. The irony of fate and the irony of situation is used in the novel. Irony denotes the difference in the thinking of Hiriko who is expected to see the good days of her life after getting married to Conrad. While readers are also expected to enjoy the romantic days through the visual imagery but the deterioration of the atomic attack is completely unexpected. She uses language as a medium of emotions and controls the sentimental approach of readers by the utilization of different figures of speech. The figure of speech is used to decorate the illicit emotions for getting the emotional involvement of the readers[30]. The author of Burnt Shadows has presented his religious discourses by the utilization of epigrams and her aims to enhance the interest of readers who belong to diverse cultures. She has made excessive use of the Urdu language to develop a cultural intimacy with foreign readers. Symbolism is an indirect approach that is used for the creation of complex ideas and coding words to present things and ideas indirectly[31]. Symbols play an important role in the processing of language, which is why symbols are employed by the novelist to create her own meaning and make it acceptable and digestible for her readers. With the aid of symbolic language, authors legitimized truths and cultural ideologies. She criticized the colonial powers for hiding the weakness of Muslim rulers in the use of multifarious symbols. The research demonstrates that Shamsie has employed figurative language intentionally to deviate from ordinary language for the production of meaning beyond the text. She has investigated the legitimized use of language by the utilization of metaphors. Personification, irony, and epigrams. Metaphor has employed to show the brutalities and aggression of power and on the other hand, it also creates a sense of sympathy for the Japanese people. She has also made good use of the figure of speech to show the effects of multiculturalism on the lives of her characters who belong to different ethnic groups and language plays a role of a bridge to connect them. The use of different schemes for categorizing words has led her to vary the common pattern of tropes and words for the purpose of constructing meanings that differ from the common language. References 1. Ellis, N.C., Essentials of a theory of language cognition. The Modern Language Journal, 2019. 103: p. 39- 60. 2. O’Brien, S., et al., Language translation during disaster: A comparative analysis of five national approaches. International journal of disaster risk reduction, 2018. 31: p. 627-636. 3. Songlin, W., " The Defence of Poesy": On the Ethical Teaching Function of Literature. INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES OF LITERATURE, 2021. 5(1): p. 46-55. 4. Moraña, M., Introduction: Texts, Textures, and Water Marks, in Hydrocriticism and Colonialism in Latin America. 2022, Springer. p. 1-28. 5. Syakur, A., E. Junining, and M.K. Mubarok, Developing English for Specific Purposes (ESP) Textbook for Pharmacy Students Using On-Line Teaching in Higher Education. Britain International of Linguistics Arts and Education (BIoLAE) Journal, 2020. 2(1): p. 467-474. 20 6. Chaidas, D., The benefits of narratology in the analysis of multimodal legitimation: The case of New Democracy. Discourse & Communication, 2018. 12(3): p. 258-277. 7. Safdar, A., S. Abbas, and N. ul Zafar, Tracing the Voices of the Oppressed: A Reading of Bapsi Sidhwa's Novel'The Pakistani Bride'. Journal of Social Sciences Advancement, 2022. 3(3): p. 186-192. 8. Haidar, S. and F. Fang, English language in education and globalization: A comparative analysis of the role of English in Pakistan and China. Asia Pacific Journal of Education, 2019. 39(2): p. 165-176. 9. Sarkar, N. and S. Sarkar, Kamila Shamsie’s Burnt Shadows and EM Forster’sa Passage to India: A Study of Intertextuality. IJRAR-International Journal of Research and Analytical Reviews (IJRAR), 2020. 7(1): p. 272-282-272-282. 10. de Mendoza Ibáñez, F.J.R., Understanding figures of speech: Dependency relations and organizational patterns. Language & Communication, 2020. 71: p. 16-38. 11. Liao, P.-C., The Post-9/11 ‘Return Home’Novel: Mohsin Hamid’s The Reluctant Fundamentalist, in ‘Post’- 9/11 South Asian Diasporic Fiction. 2013, Springer. p. 123-153. 12. Ranasinha, R., Resistance and Religion: Gender, Islam and Agency in Kamila Shamsie, Tahmima Anam, Monica Ali and Ameena Hussein, in Contemporary Diasporic South Asian Women's Fiction. 2016, Springer. p. 129-174. 13. Afza Sabir, D., D. Mazhar Islam, and A.U. Fazal Hanan, Social Darwinism In Burnt Shadows By Kamila Shamsie. LINGUISTICA ANTVERPIENSIA, 2021: p. 6458-6468. 14. Mehta, S.K., Reimagining Journeys and Communities: A Postsecular Reading of Kamila Shamsie's Burnt Shadows. Studies in the Novel, 2020. 52(4): p. 419-433. 15. Rahman, F. and S. Weda, Linguistic deviation and the rhetoric figures in Shakespeare’s selected plays. XLinguage" European Scientific Language Journal", 2019. 12(1): p. 37-52. 16. Ullah, I., L. Iqbal, and A. Ahmad, Pakistani Identity and Kamila Shamsie’s Novels: An Analysis in Stylistics (Thematic Parallelism). Global Regional Review, 2019. 4(2): p. 301-309. 17. Zubair, H.B., S. Larik, and M.K. Sangi, Postmodern Multiplicity and Transnationl Feminism in the Good Muslim, Burnt Shadows and the Low Land. International Journal of Linguistics, Literature and Translation, 2018. 1(1): p. 3-9. 18. Milian, E.Z., M.d.M. Spinola, and M.M. de Carvalho, Fintechs: A literature review and research agenda. Electronic Commerce Research and Applications, 2019. 34: p. 100833. 19. Yaqin, A., Necropolitical Trauma in Kamila Shamsie’s Fiction. The Muslim World, 2021. 111(2): p. 234- 249. 20. Syafitri, D. and M. Marlinton, An analysis of figurative language used in Edgar Allan Poe’s poems. Linguistic, English Education and Art (LEEA) Journal, 2018. 2(1): p. 43-59. 21. Hothersall, S.J., Epistemology and social work: enhancing the integration of theory, practice and research through philosophical pragmatism. European Journal of Social Work, 2019. 22(5): p. 860-870. 22. Aziza, A.P. and M.B. Simanjuntak, Analysis Figure of Speech and Theatrical Story In No Longer Human Novel by Osamu Dazai. International Journal of Education and Literature, 2022. 1(1): p. 68-76. 23. Mukhammad, N.I., A.P. Aziza, and M.B. Simanjuntak. ANALYSIS OF IDIOM EXPRESSION FOUND IN THE SEQUEL MOVIE MAZE RUNNER: THE SCORCH TRIALS (2015). in UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS’NATIONAL SEMINAR. 2022. 24. Sadaf, S., Human dignity, the ‘War on Terror’and post-9/11 Pakistani fiction. European Journal of English Studies, 2018. 22(2): p. 115-127. 25. Lerche, V., U. Christmann, and A. Voss, Impact of context information on metaphor elaboration. Experimental Psychology, 2019. 26. Agarwala, R., P. Mishra, and R. Singh, Evaluating the impact of religious icons and symbols on consumer’s brand evaluation: context of Hindu religion. Journal of Advertising, 2021. 50(4): p. 372-390. 27. ul Hassan, M., Analysing Socio-Political Overdetermination in Kamila Shamsie’s Burnt Shadows. 2021. 28. Shamsie, K., Burnt shadows. 2009: Bloomsbury Publishing. 29. Alcadipani, R., J. Hassard, and G. Islam, “I shot the sheriff”: Irony, sarcasm and the changing nature of workplace resistance. Journal of Management Studies, 2018. 55(8): p. 1452-1487. 30. Plass, J.L. and S. Kalyuga, Four ways of considering emotion in cognitive load theory. Educational Psychology Review, 2019. 31(2): p. 339-359. 31. Tsur, R. and C. Gafni, Methodological issues in the study of phonetic symbolism. Scientific Study of Literature, 2019. 9(2): p. 195-229. Abstract Introduction Pragmatic study of Figurative Language Figurative Lingual Analysis of “Burnt Shadows” Legitimized Use of Figure of Speech to expose Poli Implicit Metaphors Irony Personification Mellifluous Coexistence of Multiculturalism Simile Epigram Symbolism  Conclusion References