Semiotic Analysis of the Art of Physical Gesture in the Novel ‘Al-Majoos’ by Ibraham Al-Koni

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Seyyed Kazem Ghoreishianfar ¹

Hassan Dadkhah Tehrani ²

Kheiriyeh Echresh ³

¹ Ph.D in Arabic Language and Literature, Faculty of Theology and Islamic Studies, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran

² Associate Professor in Arabic Language and Literature, Faculty of Theology and Islamic Studies, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran

³ Professor in Arabic Language and Literature, Faculty of Theology and Islamic Studies, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran

https://doi.org/10.22067/jall.2026.88797.1435

Abstract

Bodily gestures and physical cues, akin to spoken language, constitute a kinetic alphabet for communication emanating from the body’s limbs, articulating emotions, attitudes, and thoughts. This form of expression is not merely a subordinate or supplementary element to verbal language; rather, it is a cultural and social system with sensory implications deeply rooted in the human experience. Although words and gestures may convey similar meanings, gestures often communicate more lucidly, rapidly, and precisely, especially when verbal language proves inadequate. Ibrahim Al-Koni, a contemporary Arab novelist, extensively utilizes gestures and bodily movements within his narrative structures. This research endeavors to examine his narrative language and techniques through a semiotic analysis of bodily expression, particularly focusing on gestures shaped within the cultural context of the Tuareg people. The objective is to explore gestures as an innovative narrative method that generates multiple layers of meaning within his fictional worlds. A meticulous study of al-Koni's works reveals that gestures and silence are two prominent characteristics in his novels, stemming from the desert lifestyle and the social conduct of the Tuareg. By detailing bodily movements—such as head nods, eye gazes, hand gestures, facial expressions, laughter, and even silence—he conveys psychological and symbolic dimensions that transcend spoken discourse. This study particularly centers on the novel Al-Majoos, where gestures evolve into a central semiotic system. Drawing upon a descriptive-analytical approach within a semiotic framework, the findings indicate a dominance of cultural semiotics in this novel. Al-Koni crafts a symbolic structure by employing movement, light, passion, and myth, wherein body language occasionally functions more expressively than spoken or written language.
 
 

Keywords

Semiotics

Gesture

Body Language

the novel Al-Majoos

Ibrahim Al-Koni

Subjects

• Semiotics

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