Mapping of Thematic Progression Patterns in Self-Improvement Discourse: A Linguistic Investigation of James Clear’s Atomic Habits

Abstrak

The present study investigates the realization of Theme, Rheme, and Thematic Progression patterns in James Clear’s widely acclaimed self-improvement book Atomic Habits, with a particular focus on selected paragraphs. The analysis is motivated by the importance of thematic organization in ensuring textual coherence, cohesion, and rhetorical effectiveness in written discourse. Employing a qualitative descriptive design, the research examines textual data drawn from Atomic Habits (2018). The identification of Theme and Rheme is informed by the theoretical frameworks of Halliday (1994, 2004) and Eggins (2004), while the analysis of Thematic Progression patterns draws upon the models proposed by Daneš (1974) and Paltridge (2006). The findings reveal that employs three types of Themes—topical, textual, and interpersonal. In addition, four Thematic Progression patterns were identified, constant progression, linear progression, multiple progression, and derived Themes. These patterns are shown to play a crucial role in shaping textual coherence and in structuring the rhetorical flow of the discourse. Ultimately, this study highlights the relevance of thematic progression as a key resource in discourse analysis and demonstrates how linguistic structures contribute to the clarity, persuasiveness, and communicative impact of self-improvement texts.