Transitivity analysis on novels used in Malaysian secondary schools for Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) English literature subject

Leng, Jessica Hui Zhen (2025) Transitivity analysis on novels used in Malaysian secondary schools for Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) English literature subject. Master dissertation/thesis, UTAR.

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Abstract

With the indeterminatenature of language use shaped by individual worldviews and experiences,this studyinvestigated the transitivity choicesliterary writers make to convey experiential meaning.Focusing on the significance of literary texts in society, it addressed challenges faced by writers in expressing local thoughts and realities, linguistic complexities and ambiguity, the use of language to convey social issuesandideologies, and the limited studies on literary texts through the lens of transitivity system. UsingHalliday andMatthiessen’s (2014) Transitivity System, this study analysed The Clay Marbleand The Lost King, two novels studiedin Malaysian secondary schools for the SPM English Literature subject. In The Clay Marble, relational process (64) was the most frequently used, followed by material process (38) and mental process (31). InThe Lost King, relational process (56) was similarly dominant,followed by material (27) and mental processes(24). Employing textual analysiswith transitivity analysis as its means, this study identifiedthemesand provided insightsintothe representationsof the characters and events. The findings indicatedthat transitivity choices played a crucial role in shapingthe representation of characters and events as different transitivity choicesconvey distinct meanings, ideologies andthemes. Furthermore, transitivity analysis revealed the social issues embedded in the novels, offering a deeper understanding of how language choices reflectsocial realities.In conclusion, this study demonstrated that transitivity analysis is an effective methodological tool for uncovering meaning in literary texts, revealing how language functions as a representation of human interactions and societal contexts.

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