Chapter One Introduction 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Objectives of the Study 1.3 Research Scope and Methodology 1.4 Data Collection 1.5 Layout of the Study Chapter Two Literature Review 2.1 Ordinary Conversation and Fictional Conversation 2.2 Stylistic Study of Literature 2.3 Why Pragmastylistics? 2.4 Literature as Text and as Discourse 2.5 Pragmatic Interpretation of Fictional Conversation 2.6 Summary Chapter Three Preliminary Theories and Bearings 3.1 Pragmatics 3.2 Context 3.3 Discourse Analysis 3.4 Summary Chapter Four Theoretical Foundation and AT Model for Novel Understanding 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Adaptation Theory 4.3 FourAngles of Investigation 4.4 Four Ingredients' Cooperation and Meaning Generation 4.5 A Pragmatic Perspective and an Integrated Approach to Communication 4.6 The AT Framework of Novel Understanding 4.7 Summary Chapter Five AT Application (1): Choice and Adaptation of Structure Correlates 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Choice and Adaptation of Code and Style 5.3 Adaptation at Phonological Level 5.4 Adaptation at Lexical Level 5.5 Syntactic Adaptation 5.6 Semantic Adaptation 5.7 Choice and Adaptation at Utterance and Utterance Cluster Levels 5.8 Choice and Adaptation of Utterance-building Principles 5.9 Summary Chapter Six AT Application (2): Choice and Adaptation to Pragmatic Strategies 6.1 Introduction 6.2 SpeechActs 6.3 Politeness and Adaptation 6.4 Irony Producing and Interpreting Process and Adaptation 6.5 Summary Chapter Seven Conclusion 7.1 Summary of the Study 7.2 Findings and Implications of the Study 7.3 Limitations of the Present Study and Suggestions for Further Research Bibliography