This study explores how linguistic structures were deployed to bring out
meaning in Toni Morrison's Beloved and Paradise. The analyses are
carried out using linguistic stylistic methods and principles to
investigate Morrison's unique style in the selected novels. To achieve
this objective, the research examines the lexico-syntactic and
lexico-semantic features as well as the interpersonal, ideational and
textual levels of meaning propounded by Halliday's metafunctional
theory. It adopts a random sampling technique in selecting the data.
Beloved is divided into three parts and it has 28 chapters and data was
randomly selected from each of these parts. Paradise has 9 chapters from
which data was selected. This study uses the qualitative and
quantitative method of analysis. The qualitative method analyses the
conversations in the selected texts while the quantitative method shows
the frequency and percentage of occurrence. At the lexico-syntactic
level, the findings revealed, in both texts, the frequency of use of
simple sentences more than the other types that is, 40% followed by
compound and complex sentence 30% each in Beloved and 35% (compound) in
Paradise and 25% (complex) respectively. Other stylistic features found
in the texts include: African American Vernacular English, disorganized
syntax, use of vulgar language, absence of graphic symbols, asyndeton,
use of comma, dash, semi-colon and elision. At the lexico-semantic
level, there is the use of lexical items, coinage, compounding, cohesive
markers, lexical sets and rhetorical tropes and schemes which aid in
describing the inhuman treatment and religious struggle between opposing
camps. The metafunctional components in both texts reveal that
interpersonal metafunction features declarative sentences, Yes/No and WH
Interrogative sentences. The study reveals that the structure of a
declarative sentence is: subject-finite residue; the structure of WH
Interrogative sentence can be: subject-finite- residue or finite-
subject- residue which is also found in Yes/No interrogative sentence.
At the ideational level Morrison uses the three core process types:
material clauses, mental clauses and relational clauses. Our findings
reveal the dominant use of circumstancial elements of manner like mean,
quality, comparison and degree, which were meant to add more information
about the actions of the characters. The textual metafunction reveals
theme and rheme structure, theme and mood, theme in declarative
sentences, theme in interrogative sentences and theme in imperative
sentences. The study further observes that Morrison's linguistic style
flourishes on simplicity of language use and the use of African American
Vernacular English features prominently in both novels.