A STYLISTIC ANALYSIS OF SENTENCE STRUCTURE IN MICAIAH JOHNSON’S THE SPACE BETWEEN WORLDS AND KRISTIN HANNAH’S THE FOUR WINDS

Abstract

The paper examines functional sentence structures in The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson (2020) and The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah (2021) and how they help develop themes and meaning stylistically. The paper examines how imperative, exclamatory, declarative and interrogative sentences are used to support ideology, character development and story development. This work adopts the theoretical framework of Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL). This study explores how linguistic choices implement ideational, interpersonal, and textual functions in order to shape discourse in terms of determinism, survival and power relations. A qualitative approach and purposive sampling were employed to select the types of sentences that most adequately represented several functional roles for examination. The findings indicate that interrogatives, of course, raise philosophical and ethically significant questions of agency and power, and declaratives fix thematic concerns, such as social oppression and scientific determinism. The stories have greater drama and are more involving because of the use of exclamatives, which elevate emotions and imperatives, which emphasize that something should change and an individual has to be assertive. The studies signify that sentence structure is an intentional stylistic device, and not merely a form of grammar. Both authors, Johnson and Hannah, employ various sentence structures to lead the readers through the complex world of the story and to reinforce its philosophical and socio-political message. Such an approach provokes greater engagement with readers, clarifies ideas through stances, and improves understanding of the plight of characters in opposition to environmental and systemic problems.