Femininity and female sexual desires in “The Lang Women”: an analysis using Halliday’s theory on transitivity

This article deals with the linguistic representation of and the relationship between femininity and female desires and needs in Masters’ short story “The Lang Women”. Based on Halliday’s theory of systemic functional linguistics, particularly Transitivity, this story is examined for what it can tell us about how Masters represents and explores female desires and needs in her work. In particular the article focuses on Carrie’s consideration of her own physical attributes. The article also discusses Masters’ view of the relationship between femininity and female sexual desires and how Masters’ work can be read as a common on debates about female sexuality and its depiction current at the time of her writing. The article then claims that through female sexuality women can expand their self, agency and social status.