The Perspective of the Western Cultural Pattern in the Quintet Cities of Salt (a Critical Cultural Study

Document Type : research article

Authors

• ali purhamdanian ¹
• hojjat rasouli ²
• Amir Farhangnia ³

¹ PhD student in Arabic language and literature, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran

² Professor, Department of Arabic Language and Literature, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran

³ Associate Professor of the Arabic Language and Literature Department of Shahid Beheshti University

10.22067/jallv16.i3.2304-1253

Abstract

Cultural criticism is one of the most important stages of critical development due to its role in directing thought towards the issues and challenges that humanity has faced at the heart of modern developments, with literature being no exception. The theory of cultural patterns seeks to explore the relationship between the ingrained, underlying patterns in human culture and literature. This is one of the most important branches of literary criticism in Arab culture, a field to which Abdullah Al-Ghadhami has directed attention.Abdul Rahman Munif's Quintet Cities of Salt is one of the most significant Arabic literary works that provides a depiction of the dialectical relationship between the Arab world and the West. This literary work addresses important cultural and social issues that cannot be fully explored except through the lens of cultural criticism.This article attempts to explore the controversial Western cultural patterns in Cities of Salt and how they interact with the Arab cultural patterns. The researchers examine the stance of Arab characters and their patterns regarding the cultural traits of the Other, using a descriptive-analytical approach based on critical cultural analysis and the general framework of Abdullah Al-Ghadhami's theory of cultural patterns.The importance of studying Cities of Salt from this perspective lies in the Arab-Western confrontation that shapes the plot of the novel, presenting a rooted opposition and conflict in reality, and addressing the crises and struggles faced by Arab countries in their interaction with the Other.This study aims to uncover the most influential and controversial Western cultural patterns from the Arab perspective, as well as to illustrate how Arab characters and their cultural patterns react to those of the Other. One part of the findings reveals that the Western technological pattern confronts the implicit mythological Arab pattern, while the Western modern social pattern meets the Bedouin pattern. These are among the most controversial Western cultural patterns, as the technological patterns of the West are interpreted through the lens of Arab mythological patterns, highlighting the significant role of mythological patterns in Arab culture. Furthermore, the Bedouin patterns attempt to interpret the Western modern social patterns.Additionally, the Arab view of the Western Other is not one of exploratory curiosity but rather a reflection of Arab characters' efforts to interpret Western patterns, driven by a desire to protect their own underlying cultural patterns and preserve their integrity in the face of the Other.

Keywords

• Keywords: cultural criticism
• cultural patterns
• Abdullah Al-Ghadhami
• Cities of Salt
• Abdul Rahman Munif

Main Subjects

• Literary Criticism

References

Holy Quran

Abd al-Kafi, I. A. F. (2006), Political, Economic, Social, Psychological, and Media Terms, Dictionary of Globalization Era Terms, Arab Books Publication. [In Arabic]

Abu Beih, O. (2022), Al-Ghadami’s Cultural Patterns and Their Legendary Roots, The Mu’allaqat Poetry as a Model, a PhD thesis in Arabic Language and Literature, Palestine / Nablus: An-Najah National University. [In Arabic]

Abu Shehab, Rami (2016), Cultural Patterns in the Qatari Story, first edition, Doha: Ministry of Culture and Sports. [In Arabic]

Afaya, M (1993), Al-Mawheel Walm Tawasawas (Contradictions of the Arabs and the West), Lebanon; Dar al-Elect al-Arabi. [In Arabic]

Al-Bail, F. T. (2016), Al-Khaleejiyyah Novel "Qiraa fi al-Ansaq al-Kultura", Amman; Dar Al-Akademeen Publishing Company. [In Arabic]

 Al-Faraeen, S.(2010), The Poetics of the Novel, Cities of Salt as a Model, a PhD thesis, Jordan: Mutah University. [In Arabic]

 Al-Fowal, S. M. (2002), al-Badawi Sociology, Ta'asil al-Nazari, Cairo; Dar Gharib Printing and Publishing and Distribution. [In Arabic]

Al-Ghazzami, Abdallah (2005), Cultural Criticism, Reading in Arabic Cultural Texts, , Third edition ,Beirut and Dar Al-Bayda; Arab Cultural Center. [In Arabic]

Al-Kaabi, Z. (2005), Al-Sard Al-Arabi al-Qadim, "Al-Ansaq al-Kultura and Problems of Interpretation", first edition, Beirut; The Arabic Institute for Studies and Publishing, [In Arabic]

Al-Maari, A. A. (1924), Al-Zumiyat. with a complete introduction by Kilani, Al-Nasher Beirut and Al-Khanji Library, Cairo: Al-Hilal Library. [In Arabic]

Al-Mutanbi, A .(1983), Al-Diwan, Beirut; Dar Beirut Printing: Publishing and Distribution. [In Arabic]

 Al-Ruwaili, Megan and Al-Bazai, Saad (2005), The Literary Critic’s Guide, Casablanca and Beirut: Arab Cultural Center for Publishing and Distribution. [In Arabic]

Al-Sharmani, F. A. (2019), The dynamics of the cultural pattern in Al-Qasida al-Jahiliyyah, Irbid; Al-Kutub al-Hadith. [In Arabic]

Al-Turmanini, A. A. (1984), Marriage among Arabs "in Jahiliyyah and Islam, a comparative study", Kuwait; Publication of Alem al-Marafah. [In Arabic]

 Eisberger, A. (2003), Cultural Criticism, An Initial Introduction to the Main Concepts, translated by Wafaa Ibrahim and Ramadan Bastawisi, Cairo: Supreme Council of Culture. [In Arabic]

 Emad, A. G. (2006), Sociology of Culture, Concepts and Issues. first edition. Arabic Unity Studies Center. [In Arabic]

Hamdawi, J. (2016), Theories of Literary Criticism in the Postmodern Period, First Edition, Dar Al-Nabigha for Printing, Publishing and Distribution. [In Arabic]

Khalifa, A. L. (1992), Irtqa al-Qayyim, a study of psychology, Al Majlis Al-Funun and Al-Adab. [In Arabic]

 Khalil, S (2012), Cultural Criticism from Literary Text to Discourse, first edition, Baghdad: Dar Al-Jawahiri. [In Arabic]

 Kilitio, A. F. (2001), al-Maqamat, al-Sard and al-Ansaq al-Kultura, translated by Abd al-Kabir al-Sharqawi, second edition, Dar Toubqal Publishing House. [In Arabic]

 Munif, A. R. (2005), Al-Khamasiya Madan al-Malh, first part, al-Tiya. 11th edition, Arab Cultural Center and the Arab Foundation for Studies and Publishing. [In Arabic]

__________ (2005), Al-Khamasiya Madan Al-Malh, Part 2, Al-Akhdod. 11th edition, Arab Cultural Center and the Arab Foundation for Studies and Publications. [In Arabic]

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­__________. (2005), Al-Khamasiya Madan Al-Malh, Part 5, Badiya Al-Zalmat. 11th edition, Arab Cultural Center and the Arab Foundation for Studies and Publishing. [In Arabic]

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­______________. (2005), Khamasiya Madan Al-Malh, Part IV, Al-Manbat. 11th edition, Arab Cultural Center and the Arab Foundation for Studies and Publishing. [In Arabic]

_____________ (2005), Khamasiyyah Madan al-Malh, Part III, Taqasim al-Lil-Wal-Nahar. 11th edition, Arab Cultural Center and the Arab Foundation for Studies and Publishing. [In Arabic]

Neema, N. T .(1960), Al-Jin in Al-Arabic Literature, a letter submitted to the American University in Beirut to obtain a master's degree in Arabic literature. [In Arabic]

Owaisat, M. (2021), Proverbs in the Five Cities of Salt, first edition, Haifa: The Library of Everything. [In Arabic]

Yaqtin, S. (2001), Infatah al-Nass Al-Rawai "Al-Nass Wal-Siaq. first edition. Al-Dar al-Bayda, Maghreb; Arab Cultural Center. [In Arabic]

 

Youssef, A. (2007), Al-Qanqah al-Nasqiyah, Salat al-Qunq and Wahm al-Mahaitha. first edition.Lebanon; Al-Dar al-Arabiya for Al-Uloom and Algeria; Dissent Manifestos. [In Arabic]

 

Al-Anzi, H. Kh. (2021), Cultural elements in the novel "Tirmi Bashrar.." Labda Al-Khal, Al-Adab magazine for linguistic and literary studies, 11, 317-357. [In Arabic]

Al-Azzawi, H, W, A. (2019), The Social Pattern in the Arab Feminist Novel, The Novel of Moments and Nothing but a Model, Al-Modawana Magazine, 6(3) 796-781. [In Arabic]

 

Al-Rashada, M,B, S. (2020), Values Pattern in the Structure of Narrative Discourse among Saudi Women, Umm Al-Qura University: Journal of Language Sciences and Literature,I 26, 149-223. [In Arabic] Doi:10.54940/ll15648591

 Bo Shakoor, A. R. & Bousfadi. H. (2020), The presence of the religious pattern in the Algerian novel, "Cultural approach to the novel of the Kingdom of Al-Ziwan by the saintly Haj Ahmed, Journal of Arabic Language and Etiquette, 12(3) 404-392. [In Arabic]

Farhan, R (2021), Patterns of Epistemological Discourse in Adonis’ Poetry, Pattern, Discourse, Knowledge, Wasit Journal for Humanities and Social Sciences, 17(47), 245-2. [In Arabic]

Hamdawi, J (2011), Argumentative forms of al-ana and al-Akhr in al-Khattab al-Aravi al-Arabi, Al-Azmanah al-Hadith, No. 3-4, 137-145. [In Arabic]

Hamdoun, H, M,A.M. (2023), The effectiveness of the figurative image in the novel Cities of Salt by Abd al-Rahman Munif, Journal of the Faculty of Education affiliated to Ain Shams University, No 29, Part One, 253-274. [In Arabic]

Sheikho, A, J & Maalouf, S (2019), Types of Artistic Image in Cities of Salt by Abd al-Rahman Munif, Al-Baath University Journal, 41(4), 11-40. [In Arabic]

Siddiqui, B. (1400), “From the Persian “star” to the Arabic “legend”; Analysis of the word legend and its symbolism”, Journal of Arabic Language and Literature, 13 (2), 63-77. [In  Persian] Doi:10.22067/jallv13.i2.2103-1033

Zare B, M. and Kazemi. F. (1399), “Magical Realism in the Novel of Trees and the Assassination of Marzouk”, Journal of Arabic Language and Literature , 12(2), 187-204. [In  Persian] Doi:10.22067/jallv12.i2.88972