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چکیده
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While Frank McCourt’s memoir Teacher Man (2005) has been examined for its thematic and pedagogical content, its narrative construction and rhetorical strategies have been largely overlooked. This thesis addresses a critical gap by applying the rhetorical theory of fictionality to analyze McCourt’s use of local fictionality, those moments where he deliberately departs from a factual account to achieve a specific rhetorical aim. Employing a qualitative methodology based on rhetorical analysis, this study uses a systematic Fictionality Identification Checklist to identify and interpret these inventive moments within the globally nonfictional frame of the memoir to demonstrate that nonfictional genres might include instances of local fictionality. The findings demonstrate that McCourt utilizes some distinct forms of local fictionality, including invented scenarios, imagined dialogues, parodic documents, and emotionally heightened narration. The rhetorical functions of these inventions are multifaceted, extending beyond simple thematic enhancement to include critique and satire, exploration of personal and professional anxiety, and articulation of values and worldview, manifestation of internal emotions, and generation of empathy. Ultimately, this thesis argues that recognizing McCourt’s use of local fictionality is essential for a complete understanding of his work. The novelty of this study lies in its demonstration that recognizing these fictional moments is beneficial for a deeper reading of the memoir. It reveals him as a writer who uses non-deceptive invention not to distort the truth, but to illuminate it with light unavailable in direct reportage. This study contributes to the field of literary and autobiographical studies by providing a new framework for analyzing the complex interplay of fact and fiction in memoir.
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