Status Analysis of Tariq Rahman’s “Deaf, Dark, Walls”: A Systemic Functional Linguistics Approach

Abstract

The aim of the study is to find out the relations among the participants and their status
by focusing on language use and its interpersonal meanings through Halliday’s Systemic
Functional Linguistics theory in Tariq Rahman’s short story “Deaf, Dark, Walls.” The data is
collected through mixed methods, both qualitative and quantitative. By applying this theory,
the study found that the status of the participant Khaista Gul is six times high, and Javed’s
status is six times low in the selected eighteen statements. This study also highlights the
research gap in the area of Pakistani Literature in English and invites scholars to conduct
research from other theoretical perspectives, such as the theory of foregrounding and cognitive
linguistics.