1- Semnan University , noresideh@semnan.ac.ir
2- Semnan University
2- Semnan University
Abstract: (524 Views)
Due to its breadth, the novel, in comparison to other narrative forms, possesses a greater capacity for representing the political, social, cultural, and psychological dimensions of society. Therefore, the necessary context exists for employing literary subtleties to expose power structures, as well as individual and social traumas arising from them. This has led to an inseparable connection between literature and other sciences, including psychology. In this regard, Sigmund Freud's analysis of literary works to understand the individual and collective unconscious paved the way for other psychologists, such that some of them, including Alfred Adler, presented their theories based on literary works rather than real-life personalities. In this vein, the present study, employing a descriptive-analytical method and utilizing library resources, aims to examine the manifestation of parental attitudes in the lifestyle of the character Khadija in Naguib Mahfouz's novel Between the two palaces and to evaluate the influence of this character's physical characteristics on her attitudes. The research findings indicate that: under the influence of the patriarchal structure, Khadija, through domination, humiliation, and mockery of others, attempts to exert her power and superiority, unaware that these actions bring her nothing but rejection, social isolation, and the exacerbation of symptoms of antisocial and schizoid personality disorders. Furthermore, the acceptance of values and gender discrimination has led to the evaluation of her existential worth based on masculine criteria, resulting in rumination and envy towards the beauty of others, including her sister. The mismatch between Khadija's appearance and the prevailing beauty standards in society has not only led to the formation of negative self-perceptions and destructive comparisons but has also reinforced self-deprecation in her and increased the likelihood of her developing body dysmorphic disorder. These factors have driven her towards domineering behaviors to compensate for her decreased self-confidence and unconditional acceptance of the opposite sex in order to achieve a sense of social belonging.
Keywords: Psychoanalysis, Alfred Adler, Lifestyle Tree, Arabic Narratology, Naguib Mahfouz, Between the two palaces.
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