A Linguistic Stylistic Analysis of Transitivity Processes in Selected Excerpts in Audee T. Giwa’s From Fatika with Love

Abstract

This study explores Giwa’s deployment of Transitivity patterns in his novel From Fatika with Love in order to demonstrate how linguistic choices contribute to the construction and differentiation of narrative structure. Adopting a qualitative research design with a descriptive analytical approach, the study draws its data from carefully selected chapters and textual segments of the novel through purposive sampling. The theoretical framework is grounded in M. A. K. Halliday’s Systemic Functional Linguistics (1994), with particular emphasis on the Transitivity system within the ideational (experiential) metafunction. The analysis reveals that Giwa strategically distributes process types to organize events, characterize participants, and guide readers’ interpretation of the unfolding story. Material processes emerge as the most dominant, propelling the plot forward through actions and events that shape the protagonist’s experiences. Mental processes are skillfully employed to uncover characters’ inner thoughts, emotions, desires, and motivations, thereby deepening psychological insight. Relational processes establish identities, attributes, and social contexts, while verbal processes structure dialogue and interpersonal exchanges. Behavioral processes subtly reflect attitudes and physiological responses, and existential processes function to introduce settings and situate key moments within the narrative world. The interplay and frequency of these processes not only structure the sequence of events but also foreground moral, social, and religious values embedded in the text. Through this linguistic patterning, Giwa traces the protagonist’s journey amid materialism, exploitation, and moral conflict. Ultimately, the Transitivity analysis provides a nuanced understanding of how grammatical choices shape narrative meaning and influence readers’ perception of themes and character development.