Investigating Women's Social Position through Corpus-based Ideational Analysis: A Case Study of Meatless Days by Sara Suleri

Abstract

This study provides a quantitative transitivity analysis of Meatless Days by Sara Suleri, focusing on how the novel portrays women’s social roles and agency through the ideational metafunction of language. Using Halliday’s transitivity model, the analysis examines key grammatical elements such as participants, processes, and circumstances to reveal how Suleri structures her narrative. The results show a significant emphasis on material processes (11.95%), suggesting that women are depicted as active agents engaged in meaningful actions within their socio-political contexts. Relational processes (3.49%) further highlight the exploration of identity and relationships, while the lower occurrence of mental (2.74%) and verbal processes (1.62%) indicates a focus on external actions rather than introspection or communication. The study concludes that Suleri’s use of transitivity underscores the complex dynamics of agency, identity, and social positioning in the novel, with the ideational layer playing a central role in shaping the characters' experiences and interactions. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of gender representation in postcolonial literature.