Sazaly, Kanza Namira Shafa (2026) The Linguistic Construction of Atticus Finch’s Character in To Kill a Mockingbird: A Transitivity Analysis. Transitivity System. (Unpublished)

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Abstract

This study examines the linguistic construction of Atticus Finch’s characterization in the courtroom scenes of To Kill a Mockingbird through the transitivity system of Systemic Functional Linguistics. Using a qualitative descriptive approach, 65 clauses involving Atticus Finch were analyzed to identify dominant process types and participant roles. The findings reveal that verbal processes overwhelmingly dominate the data (55 out of 65 clauses), positioning Atticus primarily as a Sayer. This distribution indicates that his character is constructed largely through speech rather than physical action. Three central traits emerge: incisive, principled, and compassionate. His incisiveness is realized through structured and analytical questioning; his principled nature is reinforced through verbal, material, and behavioral processes; and his compassion is expressed through verbal, relational, and mental processes. The study demonstrates that characterization is not only a literary device but also a linguistic phenomenon constructed through patterned experiential meanings. Transitivity analysis thus provides a systematic framework for examining how language encodes moral identity in literary texts.
Keywords: characterization, transitivity, Systemic Functional Linguistics, Atticus Finch, courtroom discourse

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