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ET DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE Tél. +229 21 36 00 74
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VIIIème Colloque des Sciences, Cultures et Technologies

ACTES DU COLLOQUE
VALORISATION DES SAVOIRS ENDOGÈNES,
GAGE D’UN DÉVELOPPEMENT DURABLE

Actes
du Colloque
ATELIER : ARTS, LETTRES,
SCIENCES HUMAINES ET SOCIALES
ISSN : 1840-5851-Editions décembre 2023 Campus universitaire d’Abomey-Calavi, Benin, 25 au 29 Septembre 2023
VIIIème colloque des Sciences, Cultures et Technologies

Valorisation des savoirs endogènes

gage d’un développement durable

ACTES DU COLLOQUE

Campus universitaire d’Abomey-Calavi, Benin,

25 au 29 Septembre 2023
 "Les auteurs sont seuls propriétaires des droits et responsables du contenu des articles"

© Université d’Abomey-Calavi
ISSN : 1840-5851-Editions Décembre 2023
www.colloque.uac. bj
VIIIème COLLOQUE DES SCIENCES, CULTURES ET TECHNOLOGIES | UAC, 2023

VIIIème colloque des Sciences, Cultures et Technologies :

Valorisation des savoirs endogènes, gage d’un développement durable

ACTES DU COLLOQUE

Arts,
Lettres,
Atelier
Sciences humaines et
sociales

Campus universitaire d’Abomey-Calavi, Benin, 25 au 29 Septembre 2023

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VIIIème COLLOQUE DES SCIENCES, CULTURES ET TECHNOLOGIES | UAC, 2023

Le Recteur de l’Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Président du Conseil

Scientifique exprime toute sa reconnaissance,

A tous les Enseignants-Chercheurs et Chercheurs de l’UAC, des universités

publiques et privées nationales et internationales, qui ont activement
participé aux travaux d’évaluation des résumés, des communications en
atelier, des posters, et des manuscrits du VIIIème colloque de l’UAC des
Sciences, Cultures et Technologies

A tous les partenaires et sponsors pour leur soutien à maints égards à

l’organisation du VIIIème colloque de l’UAC des Sciences, Cultures et
Technologies.
----------
Professeur Félicien Avlessi

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VIIIème COLLOQUE DES SCIENCES, CULTURES ET TECHNOLOGIES | UAC, 2023

EDITEUR :
Conseil Scientifique de l’Université d’Abomey-Calavi
Téléphone : (+229) 21 36 00 74 ; Fax. : (+229) 21 36 00 28 ; Email : conseil.scientifique@uac.bj

COMITÉ EDITORIAL

Directeur de publication : Professeur Aliou SAIDOU

Secrétariat scientifique :
Professeure Nadia FANOU FOGNY
Professeur Adéola Zouri-Kifouli ADEOTI
Professeur Sylvain KPENAVOUN CHOGOU
Dr (MA) Hospice G. DASSOU
Monsieur Charles Yves TOSSOU
Monsieur Denis HOUNGNIMON

COMITÉ SCIENTIFIQUE
Président : Professeur Lamine Saïd BABA-MOUSSA
Rapporteur : Professeur Sylvain KPENAVOUN CHOGOU
Responsable section SNA : Professeur Vincent O. A. OREKAN

Membres : BABADJIDE Lambert Charles Professeur Titulaire

GNELE José
OUASSA KOUARO Monique
TENTE A. H. Brice
VISSOH Sylvain
VODOUNOU Jean-Bosco
WEKENON TOKPONTO Mensah
YABI Ibouraïma
AGOINON Norbert
AHOUANDJINOU Vidolé N. R B
AWO Dieudonné
CHOGOLOU Guillaume
LIGAN Dossou Charles
MOUSTAPHA épse BABALOLA Rissikatou Maître de Conférences
NAPPORN Clarisse K. J.
NOUWLIGBETO Fernand
SEGLA Dafon Aimé
SEGUEDEME Alexis Hergie
SOSSOUVI Laurent-Fidèle
VIDO Arthur
HOUNTON V.C. Charlemagne
MONTCHO Bruno
BEDIE Vignon Dégbédji
Professeur Titulaire
Professeur Titulaire
Professeur Titulaire
Professeur Titulaire
Professeur Titulaire
Professeur Titulaire
Professeur Titulaire
Maître de Conférences
Maître de Conférences
Maître de Conférences
Maître de Conférences
Maître de Conférences
Maître de Conférences
Maître de Conférences
Maître de Conférences
Maître de Conférences
Maître de Conférences
Maître de Conférences
Maître Assistant
Maître Assistant
Assistant

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VIIIème COLLOQUE DES SCIENCES, CULTURES ET TECHNOLOGIES | UAC, 2023

SOMMAIRE
Risques climatiques et savoir-faire traditionnel en zone soudanienne du Dadoum
9
Tchad Djeko
Pedagogía social de tomás de iriarte en su obra fábulas literarias (péda-
gogie sociale de tomás de iriarte dans son oeuvre fables littéraires / social Medenou 22
pedagogy of tomás de iriarte in his book literary fables)
Evaluation contingente du financement de la conservation des sols agri-
Dossa 44
coles sur le « plateau d’Abomey » au Bénin
Le travail des enfants du cours primaire dans l’arrondissement frontalier
Kinhoue 60
de tohouè, commune de Sémè-kpodji : causes et conséquences.
Decoding experiential meanings in selected remarks on the restitution of
Dadjo 72
looted royal treasures to Benin by France
Diversité des adventices caractéristiques de l’état des sols selon les agri-
Akame 88
culteurs dans la préfecture de la kéran au nord-togo.
Analyzing smallholders farmer's preferences for ecological fruit flies man-
Tapsoba 101
agement practices in western burkina faso orchards
Artisanat de service et ses effets socio-economiques dans l’arrondisse-
Kombieni 111
ment de vidole (commune d’Abomey) : cas de la couture et de la coiffure
La bêtise humaine de kodjo adabra : entre fiction et réalité Amewu 128
Impact de l’implication des apprenants dans le processus de l’évaluation Attikleme 150
Transmission des savoirs endogenes face à la Covid19 à Cotonou Amoussouvi 164
Activités commerciales des femmes passeuses à Owodé : pratiques de
Assogba 177
survie ou d’infraction ?
Cooperatives agricoles et developpement des cultures maraicheres dans
l’arrondissement de Tori-cada (commune de Tori-Bossito) au Sud-Ouest Kadjegbin 186
du Bénin
Apprentissage des activités manuelles artistiques et perspectives profes-
Tossou 203
sionnelles
A critical appraisal of the impact of teaching english grammar for commu-
nicative purposes on the efl learners of ceg de l’unité of porto-novo, re- Loko 216
public of Benin
Importances des services ecosystemiques pour les populations riveraines
Ali 229
des forets sacrees de la commune d’adjarra au sud du Bénin
Réinsertion soico-familiale des mineurs exclus sociaux des carrefours
d'ecoute et d'orientation de caritas-cotonou: les déterminants éducatifs de Avlessi 243
leur processus.
Tchologo et développement durale : les enjeux d’une pratique culturelle
M'brah 257
insoupçonnee ?

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Mutations des representations sociales sur les technologies de l’informa-

tion et de la communication pour l’enseignement universitaire a l’ere du Ahouandjinou 271
coronavirus
Religions endogènes, vodoun, cinéma béninois, imaginaire et représenta-
Dognon 285
tions
A transitivity analysis of bigger thomas’ changing behaviours and thoughts
Togouan 299
in richard wright’s native son (1940)
Stratégies d’adaptation des producteurs des cultures pluviales sous con-
Afouda 314
texte de changement climatique dans la commune de nikki au bénin
Endogeneisation et valorisation socioterminologique des technolectes. Goy-Goy 329
Les proverbes dans l’aire culturelle adja-fon pour une education a la vie Dohou 341
Savoirs endogènes des migrants dans l’agriculture urbaine et périurbaine
Monehahue 353
à abidjan (côte d’ivoire)
1795, cette lettre du roi agonglo vers bahia (brésil): des mots pour la cons-
Lokonon 364
truction de l’image institutionnelle
Onomaturgie et fantastique dans quelques romans, pièces et théâtre et
Hounzangbe
nouvelles de la littérature béninoise d’expression française
Applying an empirical approach to the search for equivalents in the trans-
Akpaca 377
lation of administrative terms used in civil status acts
“The woman standing there was not her mother”: a psychoanalytic reading
Patabadi 392
of religion in c. N. Adichie’s americanah”
Facteurs de résistance aux changements dans le secteur agricole dans la
Abasse 401
préfecture de la kozah au togo.
Le diable dans un environnement saint, analyse sociologique des conflits
Zannou 412
interreligieux dans l'église du christianisme céleste à adjohoun
Soubassements psychologiques des comportements d’evitement des
cadres et impact sur les adolescents des communautes villageoises au Tossou 428
benin
Perceptions clivées sur la mise en œuvre du système de quotas au profit
Yabi 441
des femmes pendant les législatives de 2023
Typologie des maladies mentales prise en soins dans les communes
Viegbe 452
d'avrankou et d'abomey par les traditherapeutes
An investigation of language meaning potential through a linguistic stylistic
analysis: case study of the nigerian president tinubu’s inauguration ad- Datondji 462
dress
Promotion des valeurs endogènes au bénin : cas de l’ong nature sacrée à
Agbomahenan 479
n’gbèga dans la commune de djidja
Savoir-faire traditionnels et innovations techniques des forgerons dans
l’aire geoculturelle anii (centre-ouest du benin) : des origines au xxie sie- Gomina 490
cle

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Forces et faiblesses de l’expérience de l’aspiranat au métier d’enseignant

Zanou 509
au bénin : monographie contextuelle 4 ans après la mise en œuvre
Mapping out hanif kureishi and the racial discrimination of the english in
Seguedeme 522
the buddah of suburbia..
Patrimoine immatériel sur scène : esthétiques et limites de l’engagement
Nouwligbeto 532
socio-culturel
Financement de la recherche sur les produits issus des connaissances
Konan 549
endogènes et développement durable en afrique
Savoir-faire endogène et contexte postmoderne en afrique : la justice co-
Bah / Kiti 561
gnitive en question
Analyse morphologique de la numerotation en ajagbe Olou 574
Variabilite climatique et production maraichere dans la commune de oua-
Valea 587
higouya au nord-ouest du burkina faso.
Qualite physico-chimique et bacterioligique des eaux souterraines dans le
Atchade 607
1er arrondissement de parakou
Focus sur les modes de gestion actuelles des huiles de vidange dans les
Wari 621
garages automobiles dans l’arrondissement d’akassato au sud-bénin.

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2023
Transitivity Analysis of Character Transformation in Richard Wright's Native Son: Unveiling the
Journey from Fear to Power in African American Struggles of the Early 20th Century

Albert Omolegbé KOUKPOSSI1 & Florida A. Merveille TOGOUAN2

1,2-Faculté des Lettres Langue Arts et Communication, Département d’Anglais Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Bénin
Corresponding author : Albert Omolegbé KOUKPOSSI, e-mail: koukpossialbert@gmail.com

Abstract
This research paper is developed in Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) framework to analyse the shift
in thoughts and behaviours of the main character, Bigger Thomas, in Richard Wright's Native Son,
utilising a transitivity approach. The novel, written during the 1930s, a period characterised by prevailing
discrimination, racial prejudice, fear, cultural and social conflicts, portrays the perception of blacks
perceiving whites as an oppressive force. By focusing on selected extracts, this study investigates the
processes (material, mental, relational) employed to delineate Bigger's characterisation as a dynamic
figure who undergoes significant change throughout the narrative, evolving from a fearful and bewildered
youth living in poverty to a hardened criminal. The findings of this investigation reveal that Bigger's
transformation is primarily motivated by his imperative to survive and assert control over his life. His
progression from fear and confusion to power and control constitutes a pivotal aspect of the novel,
shedding light on the challenges faced by African Americans in the early 20th century.
Keywords: characterisation, mindstyle, racism, Systemic Functional Linguistics, Transitivity

1. Introduction and theoretical considerations

Richard Wright's Native Son, a seminal work of African American literature, explores the profound
struggles faced by African Americans in the early 20th century. Set against the backdrop of prevailing
discrimination, racial prejudice, fear, and social conflicts, the novel presents a powerful narrative that
depicts the perception of blacks towards whites as an oppressive force. Central to the story is the main
character, Bigger Thomas, whose transformation serves as a lens through which the complexities of
African American experiences are examined.
This research paper, adopting, Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) as framework, delves into
the shifts in thoughts and behaviours of Bigger Thomas with a specific focus on Transitivity approach.
Halliday’s (2004) SFL provides a valuable tool for analysing language and its functions within social
contexts. By focusing on selected extracts, this study aims to unravel the intricate aspect of Richard
Wright’s style in Native Son to fully apprehend his endeavours to elaborate on the profound and complex
causes and dramatic consequences of racism at the level of a nation. More exactly, a lexico-grammatical
analysis of selected clauses of Native Son, including the exploration of material, mental, and relational
processes and their related participants, employed to delineate Bigger's characterisation as a dynamic
figure who undergoes significant changes throughout the narrative is carried out in that perspective.
As said above, the theoretical approach that underpins this study is Halliday’s (1975, 1994, 2004)
Systemic Functional Linguistics which posits that language is potentially shapped for meaning making
through three types of major functions called metafunction: ideational metafunction, interpersonal
metafunction and textual metafunction. Admitedly, those three metafunctions operate simultanousely at

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the level of each clause to convey a given meaning. While the ideational metafunction focuses on the
representation of our experience and the world around us, the interpersonal metafunction is about how
language is used to express social relationships, roles, and attitudes. As for the textual metafunction, it
relates to how language itself is organised and connected in discourse. At the lexico-grammatical level,
the ideational, interpersonal and textual metafunctions are respectively translated by the system of
transitivity, mood and theme. One of the limitations of this study is that it only considers the ideational
metafunction of language especially the experiential aspect to pinpoint methods of characterisation in
Wright’s Native Son.
Through the exploration of Bigger's progression from fear and confusion to power and control, this
research aims to uncover the pivotal aspects of the novel that illuminate the challenges faced by African
Americans in the early 20th century.

2. Literature review
In order to give a theoretical and methodological orientation to this study from the perspective of analysing
and justifying any pronouncement about the changing behaviours and thoughts observed in Bigger
Thomas in Native Son in a compelling way, we shall consider two major stylistics concepts that are
“literature as a discourse” and “mind style”.
Fowler (1986) contends that literature can be approached as a discourse that goes beyond the
mere arrangement of words on a page. Rather, it involves the mediation of relationships between
language-users, encompassing not only the speech act itself but also the consciousness, ideology, role,
and class of the individuals involved. This perspective moves beyond the traditional view of literature as
a static object and positions it as an active process, wherein the text becomes an action or process that
shapes and reflects social dynamics. In other words, literature is a powerful tool for conveying meaning
and expressing ideas in what the narrator or the implied author believes to be the truth. Therefore, by
analysing the language of a literary text, the way it is in this study, one can gain more insight into the
underlying ideas that prompt the ideology behind its creation and get a deeper understanding of why it is
the way it is (Eggins, 2004) and what it is aiming at.
The second premise that sustains the analysis of a character’s language to get into his/her
worldview and ideology is that of “mind style”. Roger Fowler was the first to use the concept in his
Linguistic Criticism (Dunca, 2009) to refer to the conception that a person's (character) use of language
is an expression of his/her own life experience and of his/her representation of the real world in terms of
“his reactions, cognitions, and perceptions, and also his linguistic acts of speaking and understanding
(Halliday and Fowler cited in Dunca, 2009, p. 2). There are many techniques which writers use to create

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a character's mind style. Scholars in their constant endeavours to understand the process of literary text
creation have been investigating this concept of mindstyle in well-known literary productions. Tunca
(2009), in her analysis of Adichie's Purple Hibiscus, based on the concept of mind style, has been able
to decipher the hidden ideology behind the novel by considering Kambil's idiolect throughout the novel
and how she articulated both her inner and outer experiences about her father, Eugene.
Moreover, many scholars have specifically dealt with the analysis of Native Son in order to get
more insights into the way this piece of literary work, which is acclaimed to be one of the most
representative uses of literature as a weapon to ponder the complex notion of racism and the respective
attitudes of Black and White towards this social and political phenomenon. For example, Chen (2011), in
his contribution to Theory and Practice in Language Studies, Vol 1, 12, goes through Richard Wright's
Native Son from a literary criticism perspective. His endeavour to question the changing behaviour and
mind of the leading character, Bigger, is of significant interest as he has been able to shed light on how
the author has designed and fashioned this character to allow him to tackle the issue of racism in a way
never done before its publication in 1940. In fact, Chen, to prove that there is tremendous changes in
Bigger's behaviours and thoughts throughout the novel and that the writer purposefully does this
dynamics, Chen has gone through the plot to unveil the topics about Bigger as a killer. First, he concludes
that Bigger Thomas has moved from a cruel mouse killer to human being killer. He shows how the plot
line unfolds to introduce Bigger’s criminal attitude, who nearly killed Gears, killed Mary unintentionally
and deliberately killed Bessie. Although this work is a close reading analysis of Native Son and deserve
been revised, it does not use a grammatical approach to analyse what Bigger does, how he thinks, and
how he relates himself to other characters, the way one might do in a transitivity approach. This will
undoutedly give a sense of objectivity to the analysis.
Adopting the same objective, which consists of pondering how Richard Wright engages the readers with
the different mind styles he has endowed the major character with, this study rather uses a lexico-
grammatical approach to literary analysis following Halliday’s recommendation in the field. He says: “A
discourse analysis that is not based on grammar is not an analysis at all, but simply a running commentary
on a text” (Halliday, 1990: xvii). Using a grammatical approach (transitivity analysis) to pinpoint issues of
racism and Black and White identity as they are constructed in the 40s is, therefore, a methodological
approach that aims at giving a sense of objectivity in literary text analysis.

3. Material and Method of analysis

The material collected for the analysis is any stretch of language used in a context that is related to Bigger
Thomas and features his evolution as a changing and dynamic character in the novel.

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As stated in the introduction, the objective of this study is to investigate the content of Bigger
Thomas' actions, speeches, thoughts, and behaviours through his literary idiolect as the story unfolds.
Within the framework of Systemic Functional Linguistics, the clause is chosen as the unit of analysis.
While there is no universally agreed-upon definition of a clause, Fontaine's (2013) definition aligns well
with the objectives of this study. Fontaine defines a clause as the linguistic and grammatical means of
expressing a situation, describing the involved participants, and the nature of the relation or activity
(process) (Fontaine, 2013, p. 21).
The data analysis method entails examining the structure of each clause identified in relation to
Bigger Thomas' transformation from a fearful and confused young black man to a hardened criminal in
his pursuit of self-identity. Only clauses associated with behavioural changes are selected and analysed
based on their process types. The selection of these clauses is purposeful, considering their relevance
to the study's objectives.

4. Data Analysis
The character of Bigger Thomas in Richard Wright’s Native Son is a complex and ever-changing figure.
Throughout the novel, Bigger’s character transforms from a scared and confused young man to a
hardened criminal. This study, as is said previously, explores the changing character of Bigger Thomas,
focusing on his development from a scared and confused young man to a hardened criminal. A lexico-
grammatical analysis of each clause has been done focusing on the functional role of the elements of the
clause as processes, the participants in the realisation of the processes to encode meaning about reality
and the circumstances of this realisation. Three main process-types are considered for the analysis:
Material, mental and relational processes.

4.1. The Portrayal of Bigger Thomas as a Poor, Violent but Scared and Confused black
Young Man
The analysis conducted at this level aims to examine Bigger's mind style as constructed by Wright
to convey meaning regarding the violent and oppressive machinery of racism established by the white
community in 1940s America. The objective is to identify the extent to which the character of Bigger
Thomas embodies constant fear regarding his own future and that of his family.

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Material Processes
Within the lexico-grammatical framework, the elements employed to represent Bigger as a poor,
violent, fearful, and confused character are encoded through material processes and the participants
involved in their realization.
Throughout the story, Bigger undergoes a transformation from a character who has violently killed
a rat to one who takes the life of another human being. At the beginning of the narrative, a significant
number of material processes occur with Bigger as the actor. This high frequency of material processes
indicates that Bigger, as the main character, is the focal point of attention. He actively engages in various
activities, most of which are violent in nature, and is directly or indirectly involved in events and actions
related to other participants. The following material clauses aim to construct a depiction of Bigger as
resolute, determined, skilled, and, most notably, violent:
(a)
1. Bigger swung the skillet. (p.17)
2. It skidded over the floor, missing the rat. (p.17)
3. And clattered to a stop against the wall. (p.17)
4. The rat leaped. (p.17)
5. Bigger sprang to one side. (p.17)
6. The rat stopped under the chair and let out a furious screak. (p.17)
7. Bigger moved slowly backward toward the door. (p.17)
8. Bigger caught the skillet and lifted it high in the air. (p.17)
9. Bigger aimed and let the skillet fly with a heavy grunt. (p.17)
10. I got im. (p.17)
11. Bigger took a shoe and pounded the rat’s head, crushing it, (p.17)

In the aforementioned clauses, the material processes (italicised) draw attention to the activity in which
Bigger is engaged: the killing of a rat. Bigger emerges as the dominant actor among all participants,
including "it" (the skillet), the rat, "I" (Bigger), and Bigger himself. He is directly involved in carrying out
processes such as “swung”, “sprang”, “moved”, “caught”, “aimed”, “let fly”, “got”, “took”, “pounded”, and
“crushing”. These verbal elements, both finite and non-finite, convey direct actions, movements, skilful
ability, and violence, indicating clearly Bigger's act of rat killing. Notably, Bigger successfully accomplishes
the gruesome task through the processes of "pounded" and "crushing." Although the skillet is also Actor
in some violent actions, it is directly connected to Bigger, while the rat becomes the beneficiary of those
clause. The only instance in which the rat assumes the role of Actor is when it attempts to escape Bigger's
strategies for extermination.
Furthermore, other characters within the narrative acknowledge Bigger's portrayal as a violent individual.
In the subsequent clauses that present his mother's perception of Bigger, he is Actor of the processes
"act" and "do" in (1), in (2), and "scared" in (3):
(b)
1. Boy, I wonder what makes you act like you do.’ (p.18)
2. Sometimes you act the biggest fool I ever saw.” (p.18)
3. You scared your sister. (p.18)

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These depictions further reinforce the image of Bigger as an individual prone to violence and evoke a
sense of fear or apprehension.
Within the contextual framework outlined in the preceding clauses, Bigger assumes the role of Actor, the
agent responsible for actualising the processes of "act," "do," and "scared." Noteworthy within this context
is the identification of the beneficiary affected by Bigger's negative action, as conveyed through the
material process of "scared." The reference to "your sister" in the final clause pertains to Vera, Bigger's
sister within the novel. This revelation signifies that Bigger's propensity for violence extends even to his
own familial relationships.
As the narrative progresses, the reader witnesses the evolution of Bigger and becomes aware of the
specific mind style associated with him. The act of killing the rat exemplifies the magnitude of his
propensity for violence. At this juncture, Bigger reaches a crucial stage in his development as a character.
In an accidental turn of events, he takes the life of Mary, a fellow human being. Mary is Goal or Beneficiary
of Bigger's horrific actions in the clauses related to this situational event, which are illustrated in the
following instances.
(c)
1. He felt Mary was trying to rise and quickly, he pushed her head back to the pillow. (p.80)
2. He held his hands over her mouth and his head was cocked at an angle that enabled him to see Mary and Mrs
Dalton. (p. 80)
3. Mary’s body surged upward and he pushed downward upon the pillow with all his weight (p. 80)
4. Again Mary’s body heaved and he held the pillow with in a grip that took all of his strength. (p.80)
5. Frantically, he caught a corner of the pillow and brought it to her lips. He had to stop her from mumbling, or he
would be caught. (p.80)
6. She was dead and he had killed her. (p. 82)

In this episode of Mary's killing, the only tangible action in which Mary is the Actor is “trying to rise”. All
the major tangible and concrete actions are directly or indirectly related to Bigger.
The situational context can be characterized as "the act of killing," wherein the primary actor is Bigger
and the beneficiary is Mary. Material processes such as "pushed," "held," "caught," "brought," and "had
to stop" denote violent actions, signifying that Bigger exerts a significant amount of force to prevent Mary
from mumbling, something that could lead to his downfall. Ultimately, Mary falls victim to Bigger's violent
actions, and the reader observes the circumstances under which these processes occur, culminating in
Mary's murder.
Following Mary's demise, driven by fear, Bigger makes the decision to conceal the accidental crime he
has committed. The subsequent situational event is equally distressing, mirroring the gravity depicted in
the previous material clauses. Here are some examples:
(d)
1. He pushed her head into a corner….(p.83)
2. He had to get her legs in! …He bent them some more. (p.83)
3. He doubled her knees and pused her completely into the trunk. (p. 83)
4. He could put her in the furnace! (p. 83)

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5. He would burn her. (p.83)
6. He went to the furnace and opened the door. (p. 84)
7. Gently, he sawed the blade into the flesh and struck a bone. He gritted his teeth and cut harder. (p. 84)
8. He whacked at the bone with the knife. (p.84)

In these clauses, the material processes are dominant, and two categories of material processes are
identified to describe Bigger Thomas after the murder of Mary Dalton. The first category concerns the
processes whose realisation impact on another entity, a goal or a beneficiary. These are pushed, had to
get, doubled, could put, would burn, sawed, gritted, whacked at, and whacked. Obviously, the dead body
of Mary and related parts are the Goals or the Beneficiary of those clauses, and Bigger is the direct Actor.
The second category of material process is intransitive material process. The process “went to" which
denotes movement is an intransitive material process. It has allowed Bigger to move to the furnace where
he wanted to burn Mary’s body. Altogether the material processes aim at characterising Bigger's actions
as impulsive and reckless.

Mental processes
While material processes primarily serve to convey Bigger's violent character, it is evident that the
emphasis shifts towards mental processes to portray him as a scared and confused young black man.
These mental processes, which encompass processes of perception, desideration, and cognition,
provide insight into Bigger's inner world, specifically his confusion and fear regarding his own future and
that of his family. Consider the following passage:
(e)
What was he to do himself? He tried to decide if he wanted to buy a ten-cent magazine, or {wanted}to go to
a movie, or {wanted} to go to the poolroom and {wanted to} talk with the gang, or just loaf around. (p.22)

The complex mental processes “trying to decide”, “wanted to buy”, “wanted to go”, “wanted to talk” reveal
Bigger's internal struggle as a character torn between his aspirations and the potential consequences of
each individual action.
Another instance highlighting Bigger's confusion is exemplified in the following excerpt, wherein the
lexico-grammatical choice of mental processes distinctly aims to underscore this mindstyle:
(f)
"Like a man staring regretfully but hopelessly at the stump of a cut-off arm or leg, he knew that the fear of robbing a
white man had taken hold of him when he started that fight with Gus; but he knew it in a way that kept it from coming to
his mind in the form of a clear and definitive idea. His bewildered emotions had instinctively made him feel that it would
be preferable to fight Gus and sabotage the robbery plan rather than confront a white man with a gun." (p.46)

The processes “staring”, knew”, and “feel” represent mental processes of perception, cognition, and
emotion, respectively. Their purpose is to articulate the state of Bigger's mind and his attitudes towards
himself, the black community, and, most significantly, white people in America.

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Furthermore, regarding Bigger's inner world and his thoughts on White America, the following extract
holds significant interest in terms of how mental processes convey meanings about this character. During
a conversation with his friends about their desires and limitations, Bigger shares his aspirations as
indicated in the following extract:
(g)
1. "You know one thing?" Bigger said. (p. 28)
2. "What?" (p. 28)
3. "Sometimes, I feel like something awful's going to happen to me." Fear reflected in Gus' eyes. (p. 28)
4. "I don't know I just feel that way. Every time I think about being black[...]" (p. 28)

Through a lexico-grammatical analysis of each clause in the exchange between Bigger and Gus, it
becomes evident to what extent Bigger feels trapped by his circumstances. He grapples with uncertainty
about how to overcome the challenges brought upon him solely because of his Black identity. Additionally,
when Bigger and his friends plan to rob a white man's shop, he experiences fear, which is camouflaged
by his anger:
(h)
Bigger felt a curious sensation. He was divided and pulled against himself. […] Bigger could not think of robbing
him […] He was afraid […] He felt a hot hate and fear, he had transferred his fear of the whites to Gus. He hated
Gus because he felt [...] (p.33)

Bigger experiences a peculiar sensation, feeling divided and at odds with himself. He cannot contemplate
robbing the white man, as fear has taken hold of him. In a manifestation of transferred fear, he directs his
hatred towards Gus. This passage demonstrates Bigger's complex emotional state and the impact of his
fear, further emphasising the psychological intricacies of his character.

Relational Processes
So far in this study, the objective has been to demonstrate that Bigger's character is portrayed as poor,
violent, scared, and confused. This mindstyle is also encoded through relational processes alongside the
previously discussed material and mental processes. Literary analysts argue that these processes aid in
solidifying the ideological positioning of the speakers by revealing their self-identification in relation to
others (Koukpossi and Akogbeto, 1995). In Halliday's (2004) framework, relational processes are
categorized as intensive, circumstantial, or possessive, with each category capable of appearing in an
identifying or attributive mode. In the attributive mode, participants serve as carriers and attributes, while
in the identifying mode, participants consist of tokens and values.
Analysing Bigger's character as one who evolves from being poor, violent, scared, and confused to a
hardened criminal, this section aims to showcase how relational processes contribute to shaping this
mindstyle in the first book of Native Son. While other process types have been employed to describe the
physical and financial environment in which Bigger resides, relational processes serve as a powerful tool

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in conveying information about the character's state of being during the narrative. Let us examine the
following clauses for illustration:
(i)
1. "Goddammit, I'm always broke!" (p. 43)
2. "I am broke." (p. 29)

In both clauses, the process "am" serves as an intensive attributive relational process, with "I" referring
to Bigger as the carrier and "broke" as the attribute. Relating the attribute of being "broke" to Bigger as
the carrier provides insightful information about the economic circumstances in which Bigger and his
family find themselves.
Furthermore, Bigger's philosophical perspective is foregrounded through relational processes. The aim
is to present Bigger as someone who is scared due to being trapped in his conditions solely because of
his race, unsure of how to escape this pitiful situation. The intensive attributive and possessive relational
processes have significantly contributed to creating such a mindstyle. Consider the following clauses as
examples:
(j)
1. "They get the chance to do everything." (p. 25)
2. "I could fly a plane if I had a chance." (p. 25)
3. "If you weren't black and if you had some money and if they'd let you go to that aviation school, you
could fly a plane." (p. 25)
4. "It's funny how the way the white folk treat us, ain't it?" (p. 26)
5. "We are black and they are white." (p. 28)
6. "They have things we don't." (p. 28)
7. "It's just like living in jail." (p. 28)
8. "Half the time I feel like I'm on the outside of the world peeping in through a knothole in the fence..."
(p. 28)
9. "I reckon we are the only things in this city that can't go where we want to go and do what we want
to do." (p. 29)
10. "Naw, it ain't like something is going to happen to me” (p. 30)
11. "It's like I was going to do something I can't help..." (p. 30)
12. "They have everything." (p. 30)
13. "They own the world." (p. 30)
The processes "get," "had," "got," and "own" exemplify instances of possessive relational processes,
wherein the white people are the possessors, and the possessed objects consist of “the chance to do
everything”, “a chance”, “things we don't have”, “everything”, and “the world”, respectively. A semantic
analysis of these possessed objects reveals their connection to the semantic field of wealth and well-
being. Only white people occupy public spaces and possess all the wealth, leaving black individuals in
extreme poverty. This ideological positioning of Bigger stems from institutionalised discrimination and
segregation that leave people of colour, particularly black individuals, with no opportunities for education
or decent jobs.
Moreover, the intensive attributive relational processes, while projecting other processes such as mental
and material processes, contribute to creating meaning that conveys Bigger's perspective on his own and

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black people's misfortunes in America. In the above clauses, the process "wasn't" is an intensive
attributive relational process. Bigger overtly employs this to explain why and by whom his access to higher
education, specifically aviation school, is restricted. Bigger goes even further to comment on the way
white people treat black individuals through a circumstantial relational process: "It's funny how the way
the white folk treat us, ain't it?" (p. 26).
A thorough analysis of how relational processes project meaning regarding Bigger's mindstyle in the first
book of Native Son also elucidates his scared and confused state. Bigger is afraid of his situation as a
black, uneducated individual living in a white-dominated community. He is also afraid of the
consequences of his actions. The following clauses exemplify this during the situational event
surrounding their plan to rob Old Blum:
(k)
1. "How come? You are scared because he's a white man?" (p. 31)
2. "Aw, you're scared; that's all. He is a white man, and you're scared." (p. 31)
3. Bigger was afraid of robbing a white man, and he knew that Gus was afraid too.... (p. 33)
4. "You're just a scared coward!" (p. 34)

The attributes that identify Bigger in these clauses, namely "scared" and "afraid," indicate his fearful and
confused attitude towards white people. Bigger has allocated an immense amount of fear and respect to
white individuals while displaying little respect for his own culture.

4.2 The portrayal of Bigger Thomas as a Hardened Criminal

This section is devoted to analyse Bigger’s transformation from a functional perspective. It considers
book two and book three of the novel in order to pinpoint the different lexical and grammatical choices
that lead to the creation of such a transformation in Bigger’s life and attitudes. The analysis consists, as
is done above, of going through the material, mental, and relational processes that encode meaning
about such changes.

Material processes
Many process types encode meaning about this transformation. However, the ones described by Material
processes at this level of the plot development is of paramount importance to the story progression and,
most importantly, to the characterisation of the major character. His actions and to whom he did them tell
more about which individual he has now turned into.
In fact, after the murder of the rich little girl, Mary, which has occurred accidentally, the subsequent events
present a man totally detached from fear and acting directly on his own will and decision. One of the
prominent situations to illustrate this is Bigger’s confrontation with Jan after Mr Dalton and Britten brought
him home for questioning:
(l) Jan came forward again, and Bigger drew his gun. (p.147)

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In this clause complex where the main processes came forward and drew are material processes that
denote concrete and tangible actions expressing the kind of personality that Bigger has now become. He
has become a self-confident man who has now taken his life up in his hand without fear and hesitation.
He can defend himself as well.
In addition to this dramatic and systematic change in Bigger’s attitudes, the following clauses and extracts
are typical examples of what Bigger has turned into, a hardened criminal.
(m) 1) He got the knife and stood over her (p. 153).
2) If you scream, I will have to kill you (p. 153).

The processes got and will have to kill in the above context translate at length how hardened Bigger had
become. In fact, while Bessie refuses to cooperate in requesting a ransom from the Daltons through a
kidnap note, Bigger gets angry and frightens Bessie to kill her with a knife.
Regrettably, the events unfolded in a manner that Bigger realises that Bessie does not really want to
cooperate and this would pose a risk of potential exposure. Reluctant to abandon her and face the
possibility of betrayal, he deliberately took the life of his mistress. The radical transformation of Bigger,
illustrating the extent to which he has evolved, is exemplified through the following extract:
(n) He had killed a rich white girl and had burned her body after cutting her head off and had lied to throw the
blame on someone else and had written a kidnap note demanding ten thousand dollars and yet he stood here afraid to touch
food on the table, … (p. 157).

All the material processes had killed, had burned, cutting, in which Bigger is the direct Actor, combined
with their respective goals, translate the bloody and cold-hearted image projected by Bigger’s character
at this point. Bigger is now a deliberate criminal who consciously acts without fear and can measure his
actions' direct consequences. After he had violently killed the rat and had accidentally killed Mary, he had
now proceeded to kill Bessie in a violent and bloody way:
(o)
1. But he could not use the gun that would make too much noise. (p. 195)
2. He would have to use a brick. (p. 195)
3. Then he took a deep breath and his hand gripped the brick and shot upward and paused a second and then
plunged downward through the darkness… (p. 196)
4. All he knew was that the room was quiet and cold and that the job was done. (p. 196)
5. He pushed her as far out in his arms as possible, then let go. (p. 196)
6. The body hit and bumped against the narrow sides of the air-shaft as it went down into darkness. (p. 196)

Material processes also establish his sense of power after killing Mary and Bessie:
(p)
He had done this. He had brought all this about (p. 197).

Mental Processes
The first thing noticeable as changes in Bigger’s thoughts is his cutting off with the gang. All this are
encoded in Mental processes as illustrated in the following extract:

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(q)
As he neared the corner drug store, which stayed opened all night, he wondered if the gang was around.
Maybe Jack or GH was hanging out and had not gone home, as they sometimes did. Though he felt he was
cut off from them forever, he had a strange hankering for their presence. He wanted to know how he would
feel if he saw them again. Like a man reborn, he wanted to test and taste each thing now to see how it went;
like a man risen up well from long illness, he felt deep and wayward whims. (p. 97-98)

Ultimately, Bigger has changed his mindset and the way he perceives the world around him after Mary’s
killing:
(p)
He was not satisfied with the way things stood now; he was a man who had come in sight of a
goal; then had won it, and in wining it had seen just within his graps another goal higher and
greater. (p.111)

Power and control are other aspects of Bigger’s transformation. The mental processes in the
following extract that follows Bessie’s killing are perfect illustration of the situation:
(q)
1. He wanted to drop the brick, wanted to be free of this warm blood that crept and grew powerful with each
passing moment. (p.196)
2. Never had he felt a sense of wholeness (p.197)

One can see that Bigger has changed now and is no more fearful. The act of killing gave him a sense of
control and power as expressed by the mental Process felt and the Phenomenon "a sense of wholeness".
All in all, after Bigger has been caught by the police, he has undergone a totally new mindset. He feels
no more fear, anxiety and anger. All these emotions have vanished, as seen in the following mental
clauses across the novel.

Relational processes
The analysis of the lexical and grammatical choices made by the narrator (implied author) has also helped
decipher the tremendous changes in Bigger’s life, thoughts, behaviours and actions in this part of the
novel. The following are some instances that aims at proving that he has now changed into a totally new
individual.
(r)
1. Bigger was not afraid of them now. (p. 99)
2. It was the first time he had ever been in their presence without feeling fearful. (p. 99)
3. She was not real to him, not a human being. (p. 100)
4. He felt that his murder of her was more than amply justified by the fear and shame she had made him feel. (p.
100)
5. His being black and at the bottom of the world was something which he could take with a new-born strength.
(p.129)
In the first example (1), the process "was" functions as an attributive relational process, with Bigger as
the carrier and "not afraid of them" as the attribute. This portrays the transformation of Bigger from a

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fearful and confused young man to a bold individual capable of confronting the new challenges in his life.
The process "was" in the second example (2) complements the idea presented in clause 1.
In the subsequent clauses, the process "was" serves not only to describe the characters' states but also,
significantly, to establish an ideological positioning and justification for Bigger's criminal actions. For
instance, in clause 5, the value "something which he could take with a new-born strength" is actualized
through the relational process 'was' to provide reasoning for the cause of Bigger's transformative change.
Furthermore, the relational processes serve to vividly convey some of Bigger's violent and dreadful
actions through the use of circumstantial relational processes. This can be seen in the following clauses:
(s)
1. Blood was on the pillow too. (p.196)
2. It was over. P 197

The possessive relational processes have also contributed to describe the transformations observable at
each point of the plot development Native Son regarding its protagonist evolution:
(t) He had seven cents between him and starvation and the law and the long days ahead (p.197).

5.Discussion
The discussion thus far has focused on the transitivity analysis of selected clauses from Richard Wright's
Native Son, aiming to provide an in-depth understanding of the progressive transformation of the novel's
protagonist. As the narrative progresses, Bigger undergoes a significant character shift from a fearful and
confused young man to a hardened criminal. His accidental killing of Mary Dalton serves as a turning
point, prompting him to assert control over his life by engaging in bold and criminal activities such as bank
robberies and car thefts. This transformation is reflected in the material processes, mental processes,
and relational processes utilised by the narrator to shape Bigger's character.
The analysis of material processes has revealed their dominance within the chosen process
types, as the plot revolves around Bigger's actions and their consequences. These processes shed light
on his killing of the rat, accidental murder of Mary Dalton, burning of her body in a furnace to cover his
crime, the killing of his mistress Bessie, and eventual arrest by the police. These actions and events are
shown to be influenced by Bigger's physical and political environment, ultimately highlighting the
inevitability of his violent actions.
The use of mental processes in encoding meanings is pervasive throughout the novel. The
analysis of perceptions, cognition, affection, and desideration processes exposes Richard Wright's
ideological stance on racism and racial prejudices in Native Son. Notably, fear and anxiety drive Bigger's
actions and experiences. Initially, he is depicted as a fearful and confused individual, and mental
processes play a significant role in shaping his mindset. The process of "feeling" is employed to articulate

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Bigger's encounters with racism, poverty, identity, and self-perception. He constantly feels trapped by his
race and class, perceiving limited opportunities in life and facing judgment based solely on his skin colour.
Power and control are additional aspects of Bigger’s transformation which are best articulated
through mental processes in Native Son. Bigger's feelings of powerlessness in his life drive him to seek
control through violent means. Relational processes, while not as prominent as other process types,
provide valuable insights into Bigger's transformations. They contribute to the exploration of self-
perception, identity, and ideology, ultimately revealing the underlying power dynamics at play in the
narrative.
In essence, the analysis of material processes, mental processes, and relational processes in Native Son
has uncovered the intricate character developments experienced by Bigger throughout the novel. The
narrative techniques employed by Richard Wright, such as the vivid portrayal of actions, perceptions, and
relationships, serve to convey powerful messages about racism, power, control, and the complexities of
human experiences.

6.Conclusion
The analysis of Richard Wright's Native Son has provided valuable insights into the writer’s formal
experiences about racism and related issues prevailing in the American society of the 1940s. He is
without any doubt a creative writer as seen through the novel's thematic richness and the transformative
journey of its protagonist, Bigger Thomas. Through a comprehensive examination of material processes,
mental processes, and relational processes, we have gained a deeper understanding of the character's
evolution from a scared and confused young man to a hardened criminal.
The dominance of material processes in the analysis highlights the significance of Bigger's
actions and their consequences. The exploration of perception, cognition, affection, and desideration
processes exposes the psychological turmoil caused by societal pressures, racial prejudice, and limited
opportunities. Bigger's constant fear and anxiety drive his actions, while his search for power and control
manifests through violent means. Additionally, relational processes shed light on the power dynamics at
play within the narrative. They contribute to the understanding of Bigger's self-perception, identity, and
the ideological positioning of the narrator. The novel's exploration of race, class, and power relationships
through these processes underscores the pervasive influence of societal structures on individuals.

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