Metonymy in Greek means “renaming”, replacing a word with other words that are close in meaning, while maintaining the original semantic load. This literary device is usually used to add grace to simple phrases. Metonymy, examples of which can be cited ad infinitum, is a popular way for writers to increase the aesthetic level of a work. Applies to individual words as well as to whole sentences, makes them sound at a higher artistic level. Sometimes metonymy, the definition and examples of which are quite clearly indicated, is used to convert several sentences combined into one block. This technique is considered unique, it is owned by only a few writers and poets. The highest mastery in this was achieved by the American writer William Faulkner (1897–1962), whose work we will discuss later.
Among other things, metonymy, examples from the literature of which characterize it as a reliable way to preserve the reliability of the description, is sometimes used to increase reader interest. The principle of metonymy can be explained by the following example: "... the hall stood up and the applause did not subside for a long time ...". However, the hall cannot stand up; it is an inanimate and motionless room. It would be more correct to say: "... the audience in the hall got up, and the applause did not stop for a long time ..." But then the phrase turns out to be boring. As a sufficiently subtle literary device, metonymy, examples from fiction, confirmation of this can be a good tool for creating original texts.
It is sometimes confused with metaphor, since there is some connection between these two literary devices. Both of them are designed to change the word, phrase, sentence in order to improve the aesthetic level of what is spoken or written. However, if the scheme for applying the metaphor is elementary, that is, there the words are replaced according to the principle of similarity, synonymization, then the metonymic word replacement works according to the adjacency principle. In addition, metonymy, examples from fiction, evidence of this, is part of a rather complex literary process.
William Faulkner, already mentioned by us, made extensive use of metonymic devices in his work. Stories, novels, novels of the writer are popular all over the world, he is among the golden five of American prose writers. Faulkner’s mastery is elitist, the writer writes in a stylistically complex, but at the same time understandable language, his works are read in one breath. Through allegory, William Faulkner gives the story a special appeal, creates the impression of a light intrigue, which readers “guess” with pleasure. No wonder his metonymy, examples from fiction confirm this, it is considered the most striking and highly artistic. There are several wonderful metonymic examples in the story “Full Turn Around”, which William Faulkner devoted to the military theme: “He assures that he hides the ship under the berth. When night falls, he drives the ship under the berth and then is unable to take it out until the ebb ... "Here she is, Faulkner's famous metonymic intrigue. The bottom line is that the ship is real, and the reader will have to figure out the situation.