stylistic analysis of j.k. rowling's harry potter

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Stylistic Analysis of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter

Rene Marquez Bonifacio, Central Mindanao University, Philippines

Abstract: The study aimed to analyze the writing style of J. K. Rowling in her Harry Potter

series using Noam Chomsky’s Transformational Grammar Theory. Specifically, the study sought

to find out the writing style of J. K. Rowling in her Harry Potter series in terms of sentence

structure, tense of the verb, and voice of the verb; and examine the deep structure writing style of

J. K. Rowling in her Harry Potter series in terms of number of kernel sentences in transformed

sentences, connectives used, and reductions used.

The findings showed that J. K. Rowling mostly used compound complex, declarative, simple

past, and active voice. The transformed sentences were mostly composed of about one or more

kernel sentences which had been strung effectively together through the use of connectives. The

most commonly used connectives were and, that, but, and as. The punctuation marks such as

comma, semicolon, colon, and dash were used to connect the kernel sentences together. The

pronouns he, she, it, and they were commonly omitted. Sentence structure determines the

number of kernel sentences, connectives, and reductions.

Based on the results and limitations of the study, further researches were recommended: studies

on the writing style of J. K. Rowling using other stylistic theories; studies on other novels using

Chomsky’s Transformational Grammar; studies on the other elements of novel like plot and

characters; comparative studies of the book version and movie version of Harry Potter; and

studies on Harry Potter using other literary approaches.

Keywords: style, Transformational Grammar, Harry Potter, J. K. Rowling

Introduction

“Le style est l'homme même.”

“The style is the man.”

- George-Louis Leclerc de Buffon (1707-1788)

Every writer has a peculiar way of expressing himself/herself through his/her writing – his/her

distinctive style. Style is the trademark of an author. Since every author has a unique way of

expressing himself/herself, this makes him/her distinct among other writers.

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In order to determine one’s style in writing, one needs stylistic analysis. Stylistics is a critical

approach which uses the methods and findings of linguistic science. This approach is a gauge on

how an author uses language which is depicted in his/her writings.

J. K. Rowling is one of the greatest contemporary novelist today. She is the author behind the

series novel, Harry Potter, which is a series of seven fantasy novels, namely: Harry Potter and

the Sorcerer’s Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of

Azkaban, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry

Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows. These books

already sold millions of copies worldwide. Film adaptations were even made which was

produced by Warner Bros. and became top-grossing movies.

Objectives of the Study

The study sought to analyze the writing style of J. K. Rowling in her Harry Potter series using

Noam Chomsky’s Transformational Grammar Theory. Specifically, the study sought to find out

the writing style of J. K. Rowling in her Harry Potter in terms of sentence structure, tense of the

verb, and voice of the verb; and examine the deep structure writing style of J. K. Rowling in her

Harry Potter in terms of number of kernel sentences in transformed sentences, connectives used,

and reductions used.

Literature Review

This discusses the related studies already conducted which were very useful in analyzing the

present study. These studies helped the researcher in building and conceptualizing the present

study.

The study of Metin Timucin (2010) entitled “Exploring the Language of Poems: A Stylistic

Study” focused on the relevance of stylistics in the analysis of poems in Teaching English as a

Foreign Language context. The study analyzed Siegfried Sassoon’s “The Rear-Guard” and

Wilfred Owen`s “Anthem for Doomed Youth.” It focused on how stylistics helped the readers in

analyzing the poems.

The study of Timucin (2010) had a bearing with the present study since it focused on analyzing

the literary pieces using stylistics. Even though the present study focused on Noam Chomsky’s

Transformational Grammar.

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The study of Barbara Cristina Gallardo (n.d.) entitled “Analysis of a Literary Work using

Systemic-Functional Grammar” focused on examining the language used by the main male and

female characters in Pygmalion by Bernard Shaw (1913) through the application of

lexicogrammatical category of transitivity, which is part of English linguist M.A.K. Halliday’s

(1985; 1994) systemic-functional grammar. The results showed that the male’s characteristics

portrayed men concerned with rational matters, while the female character represented a woman

as being more concerned with the emotional side in their relationships.

This study had a bearing with the present study because it used a language theory, M.A.K.

Halliday’s Transitivity Theory, which is a branch of Systemic Functional Grammar. The study

would be very helpful because it would serve as a guide on how a language theory is used in

analyzing a literary text even though the latter focused on examining how the different genders

used language, while the present focuses on the writing style of an author.

The study of Noriko Iwamoto (n.d.) entitled “Stylistics and Linguistic Analysis of a Literary

Text using Systemic Functional Grammar” focused on the relationship between linguistic

structures and socially constructed meanings in a narrative text. The study revealed the ideology

and power relations that underpin a literary text from a semantico-grammatical point of view.

The study had a bearing with the present study because it used a language theory but it focused

on the narratives. The results of this study would be very much helpful, most especially in the

analysis of surface structure

The study of Prashant Mishra (n.d.) entitled “A Deconstructive Stylistic Reading of Keats’ Ode

on a Grecian Urn” focused on the formal stylistic means and grammatical devices employed by

Keats in Ode on a Grecian Urn to escape any finality, absoluteness, resolution, and unification of

the opposites.

This study had a bearing with the present study since the present study focused on the study of

stylistics. This served as a guide in analyzing the author’s sentence structure, tense, and voice

writing style.

Indeed, these researches helped in building J.K. Rowling’s writing style.

Methodology

This presents the step-by-step procedure on how the researcher analyzed and came up with J. K.

Rowling’s writing style in her Harry Potter.

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In choosing the instruments of the study, Judgment Sampling was used. The researcher read first

the seven books intensively. While reading, the researcher focused on the dialogues and

narrations, especially the long sentences and with common connectives and reductions to create a

stronger pattern of the author’s writing style. Two paragraphs from each first two chapters served

as samples.

Next, the sentence structure, tense of the verb, and voice of the verb were analyzed by the

researcher. Then, the deep structure writing style was analyzed using Noam Chomsky’s

Transformational Grammar. The number of kernel sentences in transformed sentences,

connectives, and reductions were determined.

Lastly, the writing style of J. K. Rowling in her Harry Potter series was identified based on the

results of the analyses.

Results and Discussion

This chapter presents the paragraphs and sentences analyzed in J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter. The

analysis of sentence structure, tense of the verb, and voice of the verb; and the deep structure:

number of kernel sentences, connectives, and reductions are presented.

Sentence Structure, Tense, and Voice in J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter

In Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, two paragraphs were extracted and analyzed in the first

two chapters. The paragraph was taken in page 17. There were four sentences. The sentence

structures were complex, simple, and two compound complex. All the sentences were

declarative. The tense of the verbs was simple past. The voice of the verbs was active.

Table 1. Sentence Structure, Tense, and Voice in chapter 1 of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s

Stone

Sentence Sentence Structure Sentence Structure Tense of the Verb Voice of the Verb

Number (Content) (Form)

1 Complex Declarative Simple Past Active

2 Simple Declarative Simple Past Active

3 Compound Complex Declarative Simple Past Active


The second sample paragraph was taken in page 18. This paragraph had five sentences. Three

were compound complex, one simple, and one compound sentence. All were declarative. Three

were past perfect and two were simple past. Three were passive and two were active.

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Table 2. Sentence structure, tense, and voice in chapter 2 of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s

Stone



1 Compound Complex Declarative Past Perfect Passive

2 Compound Complex Declarative Past Perfect Active



5 Compound Declarative Simple Past Passive

In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, the first paragraph was taken in pages 7-8. There

were five sentences. Four were compound complex and one simple sentence. Declarative and

past perfect tense were used. Three were active and two were passive.

Table 3. Sentence structure, tense, and voice in chapter 1 of Harry Potter and the Chamber of

Secrets




2 Simple Declarative Past Perfect Passive




The second paragraph was taken in page 23. There were four sentences. Three were compound

complex while one was compound. All sentences were declarative, simple past, and active.

Table 4. Sentence structure, tense, and voice in chapter 2 of Harry Potter and the Chamber of

Secrets




2 Compound Declarative Simple Past Active



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In Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, the first paragraph was taken from page 3.

Compound, complex, simple, and two compound complex sentences were combined to form the

paragraph. All were declarative. Three were past perfect and two simple past tenses. One

passive, one with no voice, and three active voices were used.

Table 5. Sentence structure, tense, and voice in chapter 1 of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of

Azkaban



1 Compound Declarative Past Perfect Passive

2 Complex Declarative Simple Past No Voice

3 Simple Declarative Past Perfect Active



Paragraph 2 was taken from page 25. There were five sentences. One was complex, two

compounds, and two compound complex sentences. All were declarative, simple past tense, and

active voice.

Table 6. Sentence structure, tense, and voice in chapter 2 of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of

Azkaban








In Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, The first sentence was taken from pages 1-2. There were

four sentences. One was compound and the rest were compound complex. All were declarative;

two simple past and the other two were past perfect; one was active while the rest used passive.

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Table 7. Sentence structure, tense, and voice in chapter 1 of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire






4 Compound Complex Declarative Simple Past Passive

The second paragraph was taken from page 20. There were five sentences with four compound

complex and one complex. All were declarative, past perfect, but one used no voice and the rest

used active.

Table 8. Sentence structure, tense, and voice in chapter 2 of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire



1 Compound Complex Declarative Past Perfect No Voice


3 Complex Declarative Past Perfect Active



In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, the first was taken from page 10. There were seven

sentences: one simple, two complex, one compound, and three compound complex. Two were

declarative, two exclamatory, and three interrogatives. Five were simple past; two were past

perfect. Four were passive, one with no voice, and two were active.

Table 9. Sentence structure, tense, and voice in chapter 1 of Harry Potter and the Order of the

Phoenix




2 Complex Exclamatory Past Perfect Passive

3 Compound Complex Exclamatory Simple Past No Voice

4 Simple Interrogative Simple Past Active

5 Complex Interrogative Past Perfect Active

6 Compound Complex Interrogative Simple Past Passive


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The second paragraph was taken from page 37. There were four sentences. Two were simple,

one compound complex, and one simple. All were declarative. Three were simple past and one

past perfect. Two were with no voice, one was passive, and one was active.

Table 10. Sentence structure, tense, and voice in chapter 2 of Harry Potter and the Order of the

Phoenix







In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, the first paragraph was taken from page 1. Three were

compound complex; one was compound. All were declarative. Three were past progressive and

one simple past. There were two passive and two active.

Table 11. Sentence structure, tense, and voice in chapter 1 of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood

Prince



1 Compound Complex Declarative Past Progressive Passive

2 Compound Complex Declarative Past Progressive Active


4 Compound Complex Declarative Past Progressive Passive

The second paragraph was taken from page 22. There were four sentences. Two were compound

complex, one complex, and one compound sentence. All were declarative. One was past perfect

with three simple past tense. There were two active and two passive.

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Table 12. Sentence structure, tense, and voice in chapter 2 of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood

Prince







In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows, the first paragraph was taken from page 2. There were

three sentences. Two were complex and one compound complex. All were declarative. Two were

simple past and one past progressive. Two were active and one was passive.

Table 13. Sentence structure, tense, and voice in chapter 1 of Harry Potter and the Deathly

Hollows




2 Complex Declarative Past Progressive Active


The last paragraph had six sentences. Two were compound complex, one complex, and three

compound. All were declarative. Five were simple past and one past perfect. Five were passive

and one was active.

Table 14. Sentence structure, tense, and voice in chapter 2 of Harry Potter and the Deathly

Hollows




2 Complex Declarative Simple Past Passive


4 Compound Declarative Past Perfect Passive



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Deep Structure Writing Style of J.K. Rowling

In Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, transformations and reductions were done in the chosen

paragraphs. In sentence 1, three kernel sentences were connected by which and a comma while it

was omitted. Sentence 2 had one kernel. Sentence 3 had seven kernel sentences connected by

and, three not knowing’s, as and that. Sentence 4 had four kernel sentences connected by that,

and, a semicolon, and a quotation mark; they and this were omitted.

Table 15. Number of kernel sentences in chapter 1 of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

Sentence Number of Connectives Reductions

Number Kernel Sentences

1 3 +, which +, -it(2)

2 1

3 7 +and +, not knowing(3) +as +that

4 4 +that +and +: +“” -they -this

Chapter 1

Kernel Sentences

Connectives/

Reductions Transformed Sentences

A breeze ruffled the neat hedges of Privet

Drive. It [laid] lay silent and tidy under the inky sky. It would be the very last place you would

expect astonishing things to happen.

, which -it , -it

A breeze ruffled the neat hedges of Privet Drive,

which lay silent and tidy under the inky sky, the

very last place you would expect astonishing

things to happen.

Harry Potter rolled over inside his blankets

without waking up. Harry Potter rolled over inside his blankets

without waking up. One small hand closed on the letter beside

him. He slept on. He was special. He was famous. He would be woken in a few hours' time by

Mrs. Dursley's scream. She opened the front door to put out the milk

bottles. He would spend the next few weeks being

prodded and pinched by his cousin Dudley.

and , not knowing , not knowing , not knowing as , nor that

One small hand closed on the letter beside him

and he slept on, not knowing he was special, not

knowing he was famous, not knowing he would

be woken in a few hours' time by Mrs. Dursley's

scream as she opened the front door to put out

the milk bottles, nor that he would spend the

next few weeks being prodded and pinched by

his cousin Dudley.

He couldn't know. At this very moment, people meeting in secret

all over the country were holding up their

glasses. They were saying in hushed voices. This is [for] to Harry Potter -- the boy who

lived!

that and

–they : –this “”

He couldn't know that at this very moment,

people meeting in secret all over the country

were holding up their glasses and saying in

hushed voices: "To Harry Potter -- the boy who

lived!"

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The second paragraph had three kernel sentences connected by since, a comma, and but; it was

omitted. Sentence 2 had seven kernel sentences connected by and, semicolon, comma, which, as,

when, and that; two it’s were reduced. Sentence 3 had one kernel sentence with no connectives

and reductions. Sentence 4 had ten kernel sentences connected by what, but, two and’s, and four

commas; two it’s and two he’s were omitted. Sentence 5 had two kernel sentences connected by

that.

Table 16. Number of kernel sentences in chapter 2 of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone



1 3 +since +, but -it(2)

2 7 +and +; +, which +as +when +that -it(2)

3 1

4 10 +what +but +, and +,(3) +and -it(2) –he(2)

-he(2)

5 2 +that

In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, chapter 1 had three kernel sentences connected by

and, comma, and but with he reduction. Sentence 2 had one kernel. Sentence 3 had four kernel

sentences connected by semicolon, and two that’s; he was omitted. Sentence 4 had three kernel

sentences connected by and and as with he reduction. Sentence 5 had three kernel sentences with

that and and as connectives.

Table 17. Number of kernel sentences in chapter 1 of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets



1 3 +and +, but -he

2 1

3 4 +; +that(2) -he

4 3 +and +as -he

5 3 +that +and

In the second sample paragraph, the first sentence had three kernel sentences with that and

comma as connectives; he was omitted. The second sentence had two kernel sentences connected

by as. Sentence 3 had six kernels connected by two and’s, 3 commas, but, and quotation mark;

three he’s were omitted.

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Table 18. Number of kernel sentences in chapter 2 of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets



1 3 +that +, -he

2 2 +as

3 6 +and +, +,but +, “” +and -he(3)

4 3 +and +, -he

In Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, the first sentence had two kernels connected by

comma and because. Sentence 2 had two kernels connected by comma and who; he was reduced.

Sentence 3 had one kernel. Sentence 4 had six kernels connected by five commas, so that, and

and with three he’s as reductions.

Table 19. Number of kernel sentences in chapter 1 of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban



1 2 +, because

2 2 +, who -he

3 1

4 6 +, so that +,(3) +, and -he(3)

5 3 +, +that

The second sample had five sentences. Sentence 1 had two kernels connected by comma.

Sentence 2 had two kernels connected by comma and which. Sentence 3 had two kernels

connected by comma and so that. Sentence 4 had five kernels connected by two commas, and,

while, as though, and why as reductions with she as reductions. Sentence 5 had two kernels

connected by about.

Table 20. Number of kernel sentences in chapter 2 of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban



1 2 +,

2 2 +, which

3 2 +, so that

4 5 +, and +while +, as though +why -she(3)

5 2 +about

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In Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, the number of kernels varied between two to five with

that, comma, that, when, and, colon were used as connectives; it was omitted.

Table 21. Number of kernel sentences in chapter 1 of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire



1 2 +that

2 3 +, that +when

3 4 +, and +, that +what -it

4 5 +: +, +when +and -it(2)

In the next sample, the number of kernel sentences was between one to six connected by that,

comma, who, dash, and, semicolon, and but; he was deleted.

Table 22. Number of kernel sentences in chapter 2 of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire



1 6 +that +, +who +– +and -he(4)

2 4 +; +that +– and -he

3 1

4 3 +but +, and

5 6 +,(3) +; +, and

In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, the first paragraph had one, two, four, five or six

kernel sentences joined by so that, commas, without, and, or, that, and as; he and there were

omitted.

Table 23. Number of kernel sentences in chapter 1 of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix



1 2 +so that

2 2 +,

3 4 +,(2) +so that -he(2)

4 1

5 2 +without -he

6 6 +and +; or +and +that -he(2)

-he(2)

7 5 +, and +as +, +and -there

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In the second paragraph, the number of kernel sentences varied from one, three, or six connected

by comma, and, that, and semicolon; it, he, and there were dropped.

Table 24. Number of kernel sentences in chapter 2 of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix



1 3 +, +, and -it –he

2 3 +, +that -there –it

3 6 +and +: +and +; +and

4 1

In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, the paragraph had two, five, or six kernels joined by

and, that, without, when, comma, as though, but, and why; he and it were omitted.

Table 25. Number of kernel sentences in chapter 1 of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince



1 5 +and +, +that +without -he –it(2)

2 6 +, and(2) +when +what +, -he(2) –it

3 2 +,

4 6 +, +that +as though +but +why -it(3)

The second sample showed that the kernel sentences varied from two, three, or four connected

by before, comma, that, and and; she, they, and it were dropped.

Table 26. Number of kernel sentences in chapter 2 of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince



1 3 +before +, -she

2 4 +, +, +that -they(2) –it

3 2 +and

4 2 +,

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In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows, two or four kernels were connected by comma, as,

which, and as though; it was omitted.

Table 27. Number of kernel sentences in chapter 1 of Harry Potter and the Deadly Hollows



1 2 +,

2 2 -it

3 4 +as +, which +as though -it

In the last sample, two or four kernels were connected by comma, and, whether or not, what,

semicolon, what, probably, as if, not because, dash, and but; he and they were omitted.

Table 28. Number of kernel sentences in chapter 2 of Harry Potter and the Deadly Hollows



1 4 +, +, and +whether or not -he(2)

2 2 +, -they

3 4 +what +; +, probably +, as if -they

4 2

5 2 +and

6 4 +not because +- +-but

Summary, Conclusion, and Recommendation

This section shows the summary of findings, drawing of conclusions based on the findings, and

recommendations for further study.

Of 65 sentences, 35 were compound complex, 12 compound, 12 complex, and 6 simple

sentences. This implied that Rowling’s writing style were combinations of various dependent

and independent clauses which were strung by connectives, with some reductions as the author

writes her novel. Moreover, 60 sentences were declarative, 3 interrogative, 2 exclamatory

sentences. Rowling used declarative because the genre is a novel and it is narrative in nature.

Most of the verbs fall under past aspect, where 38 were simple present, 23 past perfect, and 4

past progressive. This implied that the way Rowling narrated the story was more of actions or

events that happened in the past. In terms of voice, 36 were active, 24 passive, and 5 with no

voice of the verb. This showed that Rowling focused on the characters/doers of the action in

writing her novel.

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In terms of the number of kernel sentences in transformed sentences, it ranged between 1 to 10

kernels. The highest is 2 kernel sentences which occurred in twenty sample sentences, 4 kernels

in ten sentences, 3 and 6 kernels in eight sentences, 1 kernel in seven sentences, 5 kernels in four

sentences, 7 kernels in two sentences, and 10 kernels in one sentence, with neither eight nor nine

kernels.

Various connectives were used like punctuation marks: commas appeared 62 times, semicolon 7

times, dash 4 times, colon thrice, and quotation marks twice; demonstrative pronouns: that 19

times, which and what 4 times, and who twice; adverbs: when 4 times, not knowing thrice, why

twice, and probably once; conjunctions: and 32 times, but 7 times, as 6 times, so that and as

though thrice, or twice, while, since, before, because, whether or not, as if, and not because

appeared once; and prepositions without and about appeared twice and once respectively.

Several reductions were omitted as well. Third personal pronouns: he was omitted 34 times, it 22

times, they 5 times, and she 4 times; and determiners: this and there were also dropped, twice

and once respectively.

Overall, sentence structure determines the number of kernel sentences, connectives, and

reductions. She might be unaware, but it was explicitly shown in her novel.

Based on the results and limitations of the study, further researches were recommended: studies

on the writing style of J. K. Rowling using other stylistic theories; studies on other novels using

Chomsky’s Transformational Grammar; studies on the other elements of novel like plot and

characters; comparative studies of the book version and movie version of Harry Potter; and

studies on Harry Potter using other literary approaches.

References

Book References

Cook, V.J. & Newson, M. (2007). Chomsky’s universal grammar: An introduction. (3rd ed.) UK:

Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Rowling, J.K. (1998). Harry potter and the chamber of secrets. USA: Scholastic Inc.

Rowling, J.K. (2007). Harry potter and the deathly hollows. USA: Scholastic Inc.

Rowling, J.K. (2000). Harry potter and the goblet of fire. USA: Scholastic Inc.

Rowling, J.K. (2005). Harry potter and the half-blood prince. USA: Scholastic Inc.

Rowling, J.K. (2003). Harry potter and the order of the phoenix. USA: Scholastic Inc.

522

Rowling, J.K. (1999). Harry potter and the prisoner of azkaban. USA: Scholastic Inc.

Rowling, J.K. (1997). Harry potter and the sorcerer’s stone. USA: Scholastic Inc.

Internet References

Gallardo, B.C. (n.d.). Analysis of a literary work using systemic-functional grammar. Retrieved

from http://www4.pucsp.br/isfc/proceedings/Artigos%20pdf/35l_gallardobarbara_

735a762.pdf.

Iwamoto, N. (n.d.). Stylistics and linguistic analysis of a literary text using systemic functional

grammar. Retrieved from http://www.ukm.my/ppbl/3L/3L%20vol%2017%20(2)%

202011/7-Prashant%20-Mishra.pdf.

Mishra, M. (n.d.). A deconstructive stylistic reading of keats’ ode on a grecian urn. Retrieved

from http://www.ukm.my/ppbl/3L/3L%20vol%2017%20(2)%202011/7-

Prashant%20Mishra.pdf.

Timucin, M. (n.d.). Exploring the language of poems: A stylistic study. Retrieved from

http://www.novitasroyal.org/Vol_4_2/timucin.pdf.

stylistic analysis of j.k. rowling's harry potter

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