Proceedings of the 10th International Conference on New Findings in Humanities and Social Sciences
Year: 2024
DOI:
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Despair and Disillusion: A Transitivity Analysis of the protagonist’s Mental Transformation in Araby
Yang Zhang
ABSTRACT:
The short story “Araby” by James Joyce unveils the bleak reality and paralysis state of Dublin in the early twentieth century through the adolescent boy’s continuing process of self-realization through his despair and disillusionment. This study, rooted in M.A.K. Halliday’s transitivity framework, examines the intricate process of mental transformation undergone by the protagonist. Contrary to previous critical approaches which primarily focused on the protagonists “mental state” or “mind style”, this analysis emphasizes the significance of subtle shifts in transitivity patterns in delineating the protagonist’s journey. It contends that the protagonist’s mental evolution, as evidenced by alterations in transitivity, holds paramount importance in elucidating the novella’s thematic exploration of epiphany.
keywords: Araby, transitivity; mental transformation; epiphany