Transitivity Theories in Discourse Analysis: With a Woman on a Roof as an Example

Yafei Pang

doi:10.54691/1srj9953

Authors

Yafei Pang

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54691/1srj9953

Keywords:

Transitivity; Discourse Analysis; A Woman on a Roof; Personal Characters.

Abstract

This paper applies the transitivity theory within Hallidayan SFG to analyze Doris Lessing’s short novel A Woman on a Roof. This study focuses on the role of transitivity in discourse analysis and how transitivity analysis reveals the personalities of novel characters. Attempts are made to understand the three workers’ different personalities from different distributed processes. This paper confirms that Transitivity analysis is a powerful tool in Discourse Analysis and it also provides us with a new perspective to appreciate and evaluate literary works. It is strongly hoped that this paper can assist the readers in better appreciating this famous novel and also can have some help in the future teaching of Hallidayan Transitivity Theories.

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