Narrating Trauma and Resistance: A Comparative Transitivity Analysis of My Story and When I Hit You
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.69760/aghel.026002015Keywords:
Halliday, Patriarchy, Stylistics, Transitivity , Tauma, AutobiographyAbstract
This article explores how trauma and existential crises are articulated in My Story (1976) by Kamala Das and When I Hit You (2017) by Meena Kandasamy through distinct narrative and stylistic choices. Drawing on Halliday's transitivity framework (1985), we examine how each author's use of language reveals their psychological landscapes. The transitivity analysis of selected autobiographies showed that in My Story, mental processes were used more to narrate the experiences of trauma and existential crises, whereas in When I Hit You, the material process is used more, which points to the intensity of domestic violence inflicted upon the protagonist. Thus, the authors’ differing narrative approaches and introspective recollection versus confrontational exposure highlight how autobiographical writing becomes a space for both survival and resistance. The emotional depth of both texts aligns with clinical descriptions of PTSD outlined in the DSM-5, demonstrating a convergence between literary and psychological expressions of trauma. Together, these works exemplify how women's autobiographies can transform personal suffering into powerful critiques of patriarchal violence.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Shahila Zafar, Aadra A. Chandran (Author)
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