The power of similes: Exploring the unique voice of the author in Ukhozi Olumaphiko

Similes have been widely studied in stylistics and literary studies, yet the place of similes in classical rhetoric is contested, and their role in shaping an IsiXhosa literary voice remains under-researched. This study examines similes in Ncedile Saule’s Ukhozi Olumaphiko [The Great Eagle] (1996), an award-winning IsiXhosa thriller from South Africa’s early democratic era, noted for its thematic complexity, stylistic density and rarity in IsiXhosa prose fiction. It addresses three questions: (1) How do similes contribute to the authorial stylistic voice in Ukhozi Olumaphiko? (2) How do they support the psychological and expressive portrayal of characters, especially Mfazwe? (3) How do they index and articulate cultural and individual identity? The study employs a literary-stylistic framework, especially expressive and psychological stylistics, integrated with critical discourse analysis (CDA), combining CDA with a descriptive quantitative analysis of 52 purposively selected similes from the 131 found in the novel. Contribution: The findings show that similes operate as central stylistic and discursive resources rather than decorative ornaments. They intensify narrative meaning, affect and cultural resonance; construct a distinctive authorial voice through vivid imagery, culturally grounded analogies and recurrent expressive patterns; mediate the representation of Mfazwe’s psychological states, heightening emotional complexity and reader empathy; and signal cultural and individual identity by drawing on indigenous knowledge, lived experience and situated social realities. Similes thus shape the novel’s stylistic architecture, influencing narrative progression, characterisation and meaning in IsiXhosa fiction, reinforcing themes and authorial intention, enhancing reader engagement and consolidating Saule’s literary identity.