UM ESTUDO DE TRANSITIVIDADE ACERCA DA REPRESENTAÇÃO DA MULHER AFRODESCENDENTE ESCRAVIZADA NOS CONTOS BEYOND THE BAYOU E LA BELLE ZORAÏDE DE KATE CHOPIN

Abstract

Kate Chopin depicts a noteworthy representation of female characters from the Southern of the United States in her literary works from the turn of the nineteenth century, especially in her short stories. The objective of this research paper is to analyse how Jacqueline and Zoraïde, two African decedent enslaved characters, are represented in the short stories Beyond the bayou and La Belle Zoraïde by Kate Chopin. The analysis of Jacqueline and Zoraïde representations was based on Systemic-Functional Linguistics theory by Halliday and Matthiessen (2004, 2014), focusing on the three main processes in Experiential Metafunction of transitivity system - relational, material and mental processes. For this, the analysis focused on identifying how Jacqueline and Zoraïde are represented as Carrier and Identified, as Actor and Sensor of these processes. The results showed a representation of Jacqueline and Zoraïde founded on their psychosomatic aspects, social representations, physical appearance, and representation of motherhood and of affection. Also, it displayed a connection between the surroundings occupied by the characters with labor activities and movement autonomy. These evidences can reveal that the African decedent enslaved protagonists in Kate Chopin’s Beyond the Bayou and La Belle Zoraïde were represented as women who were able to modify their social context, fighting for their own identity, existence and autonomy.