A MORPHOSTYLISTIC ANALYSIS OF MARK TWAIN’S “TRAIN TO DARJEELING”

Abstract: Mark Twain was one of the most influential American writers and humourists of the nineteenth century. His “Train to Darjeeling” is a travel narrative that describes a journey through the mountainous region leading to Darjeeling. The text presents the author’s observations of the landscape, people, and travel experiences encountered during the trip. This paper examines the Mark Twain’s use of lexical categories, pronouns, nouns, adjectives, verbs, adverbs, and word- formation processes to reveal how linguistic choices contribute to meaning and artistic effect. Using a qualitative descriptive approach, the study analyses selected passages from the text to identify prominent morphostylistic features and their functions. The findings indicate that Twain’s extensive use of descriptive adjectives, dynamic verbs, first-person pronouns, and concrete nouns enhances vivid imagery, personal engagement, and narrative realism. Additionally, repetition, comparative structures, and figurative expressions contribute to the text’s humour, expressiveness, and travel- writing style.
The analysis demonstrates that morphological elements are not merely grammatical devices but significant stylistic resources that shape the narrative voice and reader response. This research contributes to the field of stylistics by illustrating how morphostylistic analysis can provide deeper insights into literary texts and authorial style.

Keywords: Morphostylistics, Travel Writing, Morphology, Literary Linguistics.