Sense and Nonsense: Image Schemas in Carroll’s Hunting of the Snark

Abstract

Ever since its inception, the Image Schema theory has helped linguists develop an understanding of how our bodily experiences impact our cognition and language. It has contributed to an understanding of the complex cognitive processes including realization of metaphors. Non-sense literature has an appeal to itself since it does not align with the concept of normality. The ensuing issue is how does our brain conceptualize the bizarre events presented therein? The present study is aimed at explaining how Image Schemas help our mental process and make sense out of nonsense, by applying them on a particular event from Hunting of the Snark by Lewis Carroll.