Journal of Arabic Language & Literature

Abstract The application of Searle's theory of speech acts constitutes one of the fields of study in the linguistics of literary texts. This theory describes and analyzes the types of acts, namely assertive, directive, commissive, expressive, and declarative, within a purposeful text. Through its application, one can discern the linguistic techniques speakers use in their discourse. In this context, this study aims to analyze the paradigm of "good argument" within the sermons of Imam Hasan al-Mujtaba (AS), utilizing Searle's model and a descriptive-analytical method, with the objective of identifying a valuable specimen of Arabic literary heritage, elucidating the connection between linguistics and Islamic studies, and achieving a deeper comprehension of his communicative patterns in refuting the fallacies of opponents such as Mu'awiyah and his companions. Among the findings of this research is that the opponents of Imam Hasan (AS) used various fallacies such as red herring, one-sided assessment, insult, complex question, trapping, enticement, irrelevant reasons, and falsehood to derive conclusions from invalid premises affirming their beliefs regarding opposition to the Divine Word and the superiority of the Imams (AS) concerning the issue of caliphate. It has been demonstrated that the Imam (AS), by employing speech acts, responded to the intellectual slips and invalid arguments of his opponents. Overall, the high frequency of assertive acts indicates Imam al-Mujtaba's (AS) approach of adopting an advisory strategy when dealing with adversaries. The directive and expressive acts, with lower frequency than assertive acts, reflect approaches of challenge and expediency, respectively, in refuting fallacies. Furthermore, the low frequency of commissive acts proves that in discourses that can be reliably referenced and trusted through the authority of revealed speech, committing to the occurrence of a truth holds no significant place. Since declarative acts entail the announcement of a new status, they find no place in the disputes of the Imam (AS). This indicates the discourse strategy of the best dispute used by the Imam (AS) in his encounters with opponents.

Abstract Individuation theory of Jung is about the human tendency to resolve the inconsistenciesin his psyche and reach a whole personality. Individuation begins with the human being’s voyage from consciousness to the unconscious. On this voyage, the individual takes off his Persona (the mask he shows of himself to the world) and sets foot in the unconscious realm. In the unconscious, he meets his Shadow (the dark side of himself), Anima (femininity in men), and Animus (masculinity in women), and through the recognition of dark, ambiguous, and clear sides of his psyche, he reaches a whole self. In this study, the story of Al-Ishtiaq il-Jarah, written by Habib Al-Salmi, is read using the theory of individuation and a descriptive-analytical method. The novel narrates Kamal Ashour’s life: He migrated from Tunisia to France in his youth and became a professor of mathematics at the university. Living, working, and marrying in France has created a logical, rigid, and static self-consciousness in his psyche.
His acquaintance with Zahra and her family (who are Tunisian, as he is) helps him escape from this powerful consciousness (French culture), recognize the hidden layers of his unconscious (Tunisian culture), and create a balance between the two in his inner self. First, he removes his mask, his social position as a university professor and the husband of a French lady, and assumes himself to be like other Tunisians. Then he confesses to the existence of the shadow (the unpleasant features of Tunisian culture that he has always hidden) in himself and, after much struggle, realizes that a part of the personality of Mansour (Zahra's violent, sloppy, and uninhibited husband, who is considered a symbol of the shadow) is in himself. Then, in the form of a wise and charming anima character, Zahra shows him the desirable characteristics of Tunisian culture, such as kindness, dynamism, and joy. At the end of this process, Ashour is completely reconciled with his original culture and achieves a unified identity.
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Abstract The element of character in a literary work is of great importance; however, in narratology, this element, unlike elements such as plot and theme, has received less attention and has not been carefully studied in discourse studies. Among the numerous theories in discourse studies, Van Leeuwen’s semiotic analysis of social actors is noteworthy for its treatment of the category of character or actor. This theory examines how characters are represented, the different methods of their representation, and the functions each serves in understanding the content and discourse. Van Leeuwen has discussed the various ways of representing character or actor in a work, which is equivalent to the concept of subject in Grimas's view, according to the two methods of mention and omission. Understanding these methods greatly helps in understanding the theme and discourse of the work. Considering the importance of this issue, the present article uses a descriptive-analytical method to examine the representation of actors and their methods in the novel "Taghriba al-Qafir" by Zahran Al-Qasimi based on the theory of Van Leeuwen to reveal the methods and functions of representing these actors. The novel "Taghriba al-Qafir " is an environmental work that visualizes the relationship between humans and water, one of the fundamental elements in the lives of Omani villagers. The result shows that the author has represented characters in accordance with the real and local atmosphere of the novel in the form of mentions and omissions. Also, characters related to the category of water have been represented with a focus on the local characteristics and specific to the cultural space of the narrative.

Abstract Stylistics, as a significant approach in literary criticism, enables in-depth analysis of the structure and texture of literary works by focusing on various linguistic levels, from phonetics and lexicon to syntax and rhetoric. Stylistic analysis, through systematic examination of linguistic levels (phonetic, lexical, syntactic, rhetorical), provides an effective tool for understanding the structure and richness of literary texts, particularly modern poetry. This research, using a descriptive-analytical method and based on the theoretical foundations of stylistics, analyzes the qasida “Al-Bahr al-Tawil” by the Bahraini poet Qasim Haddad. The primary goal of this research is to identify the prominent stylistic components at the four levels and explain how these levels interact to create Haddad’s personal style, articulate focal themes (dialogue with heritage, the nature of poetry, and contemporary concerns), and realize the poem’s aesthetic and semantic potential. The Findings indicate that at the phonetic level, Haddad’s deliberate choice of the Meter Kamil and purposeful use of zihaf and illal create music consonant with the theme. Lexically, the blend of traditional and modern vocabulary alongside dense and novel metaphors contributes to semantic richness and artistic ambiguity. Dynamic syntactic structure (sentence variety and element dislocation) and rhetorical cohesion based on metaphor and symbol, especially the role of the central metaphor “Bahr al-Tawil” in establishing metaphorical consistency, are other prominent stylistic features. This research indicates that the targeted interaction of linguistic levels results in an innovative style in Haddad, in which language is both a tool and a subject of reflection and full understanding of the work and the poet’s position requires attention to this synergy between form and content.

Abstract In recent decades, narrative studies have undergone a significant transformation, shifting focus from "what is said" to "how it is said." Within this paradigm, narrative techniques have emerged as crucial mechanisms for meaning production, attaining a status equal to that of classic story elements. In this context, Shakir al-Anbari's novel "Najmat al-Bataween" is not merely a report on Baghdad society during a period of crisis but rather a deliberate example of novelistic architecture amidst social turmoil. This research, using a descriptive-analytical method and drawing on direct evidence from the Arabic text, emphasizes the need to carefully examine narrative techniques to understand how structure and form shape the work’s social and ethical message. The primary objective of this study is to explore the narrative techniques employed in "Najmat al-Bataween" to clarify their role in the novel's structural coherence, its ethical-aesthetic impact, and, ultimately, its representation of the social crisis in Iraq. Initially, the concept of "technique" in narrative is elucidated, then the novel's storytelling techniques are examined with concrete textual evidence. The results of this research show that Najma al-Bataween’s novel is built on a network of synergistic narrative techniques. The repetition of motifs interlinks disparate sections of the story, fostering structural integrity. On the other hand, the fusion of art and reality presents complex psychological, social, and historical concepts in a multi-layered and metaphorical manner. Literary games, while preserving the work's critical tone, cultivate an aesthetic awareness of the social tragedy, elevating the novel from mere representation to a platform for ethical reflection. Characterization also enhances the narrative's believability and psychological depth, shaping the interaction between setting, identity, and action. Consequently, "Najmat al-Bataween" stands as a prominent example of a contemporary technical novel, effectively bridging artistic form with the representation of social reality.

Abstract Narrative time is one of the most important structural components of narrative, playing an active role in producing meaning and representing historical experience. Drawing on Gérard Genette’s narratological theory, the present study investigates the function of narrative time in representing collective memory in the novels of Abd al-Salam al-Ujayli, with particular emphasis on the two components of order and duration. The study aims to show how the manipulation of the narrative temporal structure, beyond its formal function, contributes to the reconstruction of historical memory and the collective lived experience of society. The research adopts a descriptive-analytical approach based on qualitative textual analysis. Within this framework, the components of narrative time are identified and examined based on Genette’s theoretical categories and by extracting indicative examples of breaks in narrative order (analepsis and prolepsis), as well as transformations in narrative duration (deceleration and acceleration), which are analyzed in terms of their semantic and historical functions.The findings show that the organization of narrative time in al-Ujayli’s novels, through the predominance of analepsis and the uneven distribution of narrative duration, serves to represent the historical experience and the formation of collective memory. The characters’ recurrent returns to memories associated with events such as the October War, the construction of the Euphrates Dam, and the experience of Arab unity turn the past into an active element in the interpretation of the present. In addition, descriptive pauses, dialogue scenes, especially those that connect individual experience to broader social and historical contexts, and the techniques of summary and ellipsis contribute to a selective foregrounding of certain moments in contemporary Syrian history, such as the consequences of the collapse of Arab unity and the displacement of peasants following large-scale developmental projects, while downplaying others. As a result, collective memory in these novels is represented as a fragmented and continually reinterpretable experience.