do. However, actually, she has her own problems. She becomes alcoholic after she ends the relationship, receives the power, and the death of Mary Magna, a nun
who has saved her from Brazil and brought her to the Convent when she is a child.
4.2.1 The Modality System of Connie
The modalities analyzed here are taken from three different excerpts. The first excerpt is when Connie sees Deacon, and she falls in love with him. The
second excerpt is taken from the time after Mary Magna dies and she thinks about her power and condition. The last excerpt is after she wakes up from drinking.
Nevertheless, unlike Mavis’s modalities, Connie does not use many modals. The following table illustrates the modality of Connie from excerpt 1 until
excerpt 3. In excerpt 1, there are only two 2 modalities of twenty three 23 clauses, and in excerpt 2, there are three 3 modalities of twenty one 21 clauses.
The most frequent modalities are in excerpt 3 which are eleven 11 modalities of twenty one 21 clauses.
Table 4.2.1 The Modality System of Connie
No. Modalities
Excerpt 1 Excerpt 2
Excerpt 3 L
M H
L M
H L
M H
1. Probability
1 1
- 1
1 1
1 3
1 2.
Usuality -
- -
2 -
1 -
2 -
3. Obligation
- -
- -
- -
- -
- 4.
Inclination -
- -
1 -
- 1
- 2
Total 2 occ 23 cl
6 occ 21 cl 10 occ 21 cl
4.2.1.1 The Modality System in Excerpt 1
As shown in the table above, only few modalities that can be discussed in this excerpt. All of those two modalities that appear in this excerpt are the
probability, low and median modalities.
C.1.13a Consolata looked back and thought she saw hesitation in his eyes … median probability
C.1.14 … where the heat seemed to explain her difficult
breathing. low probability The median value of probability comes when Connie thinks that Deacon looks at
her, and she looks back C.1.13a. On the other hand, the low modality appear when she tries to realize what happens to her C.1.14.
Since those two examples are taken when Connie firstly sees Deacon Morgan, the modalities in those examples show her analysis toward Deacon and
herself. She is not really sure about what she sees. Besides, she tries to relate the heat with her difficulty in breathing. She compares between the hot weather and
the heat that she feels which have caused her difficulty.
4.2.1.2 The Modality System in Excerpt 2
Almost similar with the previous excerpt, this excerpt only employs five modalities, and four of them show the probability.
C.2.5a Perhaps
not, but he was sometimes overgenerous. median probability
C.2.6 she imagined how she must appear high probability
C.2.8a thought
she was seeing for the first time … median probability
Perhaps in the example C.2.5a relates with the previous clause in the text, “God
don’t make mistakes,” Lone had shouted at her . Lone is a person who introduces
her to her psychic power. It means that by using median probability, she is not sure that God does not make mistake on what had happened to her. However, in
the high probability C.2.6, she makes prediction about her appearance in the future, Gray-haired, her eyes drained of what eyes were made for. In thought with
median probability, it gives effect that she cannot differentiate between what she sees in reality or in the other world.
In addition to the probability is the usuality and inclination. In this excerpt, the three occurrences of usuality have both high value and middle value with
objective orientation. C.2.2a-c They had promised to take care of her always but did not
tell her that always was not all ways nor forever high usuality
C..2.3d wishing she had the strength to beat the life out of the women freeloading in the house. low inclination
C.2.5a Perhaps not, but He was sometimes overgenerous. low
usuality Thus, by placing two exactly same modalities, always, but with different
polarities, it creates effect that the character, Connie, actually does not believe to what other people promised to her C1.2a-2c She also does not fully believe to
the God’s gift C.1.5a. As for the inclination, it indicates that actually, she cannot bear the life of the women at Convent because more or less, they burden her.
4.2.1.3 The Modality System in Excerpt 3
