Analyzing a Literary Character Using Systemic Grammar Analysis
Analyzing a Literary Character in a Short Story
Using Systemic Grammar
This paper will apply the features of systemic grammar in analyzing a major character in a short story, that is, Ernest Hemingway’s A Clean Well-lighted Place. This story tells about an old man whom the details of his life are revealed through the conversation of the young waiter and the old waiter. The old waiter understands as much as the young waiter despises the old man’s staying in the café all night. As the young waiter is in a hurry to go home for he has a wife waiting for him, he made the old man finish his drink and let him leave. The old waiter is left in the café talking to himself. Consequently, it was revealed that it was because of nothingness that he also likes to stay in a clean, well-lighted place just like the old man. He visits a bar only to magnify its difference from the café and he decides to go home to his room and deal with his insomnia.
The reader chose the last part of the story (see attachment) in analyzing the character of the old man.
Table 1. Material Process
Actor
Process
Goal
He continued the conversation with himself
(beneficiary)
He lived in it
He knew it was all nada y pues nada y pues nada.
He stood before a bar
(circumstance of place)
The barman poured it for him
(beneficiary)
The bar man looked at him
He would go home to his room
(circumstance of place)
He
would go to sleep. (Nor) You
Can (you) stand
Before a bar
(circumstance of place) with dignity
(circumstance of manner)
It may not be that in all material process the old waiter is the actor but notice that in the other two sentences the old waiter is the goal and the beneficiary. With the old waiter’s material process his beneficiary and circumstances still pertain to him. This can be interpreted that the old waiter has no one to be concerned but himself and that he is lonely just like the old man who is fond of staying late
Using Systemic Grammar
This paper will apply the features of systemic grammar in analyzing a major character in a short story, that is, Ernest Hemingway’s A Clean Well-lighted Place. This story tells about an old man whom the details of his life are revealed through the conversation of the young waiter and the old waiter. The old waiter understands as much as the young waiter despises the old man’s staying in the café all night. As the young waiter is in a hurry to go home for he has a wife waiting for him, he made the old man finish his drink and let him leave. The old waiter is left in the café talking to himself. Consequently, it was revealed that it was because of nothingness that he also likes to stay in a clean, well-lighted place just like the old man. He visits a bar only to magnify its difference from the café and he decides to go home to his room and deal with his insomnia.
The reader chose the last part of the story (see attachment) in analyzing the character of the old man.
Table 1. Material Process
Actor
Process
Goal
He continued the conversation with himself
(beneficiary)
He lived in it
He knew it was all nada y pues nada y pues nada.
He stood before a bar
(circumstance of place)
The barman poured it for him
(beneficiary)
The bar man looked at him
He would go home to his room
(circumstance of place)
He
would go to sleep. (Nor) You
Can (you) stand
Before a bar
(circumstance of place) with dignity
(circumstance of manner)
It may not be that in all material process the old waiter is the actor but notice that in the other two sentences the old waiter is the goal and the beneficiary. With the old waiter’s material process his beneficiary and circumstances still pertain to him. This can be interpreted that the old waiter has no one to be concerned but himself and that he is lonely just like the old man who is fond of staying late
References: Castro, Ma. Corazon A. The Use of Systemic Grammar in Character Analysis Hemingway, Ernest.1987. The Complete Stories of Ernest Hemingway Finca Vigia Edition. New York: Simon & Schuster Inc.