Studies in

---

---

---

The study of the epistemological and philosophical foundations that have accompanied critical methodologies is the key to comprehending critical theories and understanding their core theoretical concepts and practical procedures before applying them in the field of criticism. It is imperative not to regard methodologies such as narratology merely as analytical tools for interpreting literary discourses. These methodologies have drawn upon a variety of philosophical sources in constructing their critical projects, beginning with Aristotle and extending to contemporary horizons manifest in postmodern theories. Their roots can be traced to a range of philosophical traditions, including objectivist philosophies, logical positivism, Hegelian phenomenology, and Kantian principles of subjectivity. From this perspective, the objective of this is to highlight the importance of understanding the philosophical foundations of narratology and the issue of knowledge ownership in understanding literary texts, particularly the sacred Qur'anic discourse, through the use of its critical methodologies. It adopts a descriptive-analytical approach by examining the key philosophical backgrounds that have accompanied narratology throughout its historical development and analyzing its application in certain critical models. The research concludes that there are concepts from narratology that contribute to its critical framework, such as the death of the author, the negation of the human subject leading to the dismissal of characters in fiction, and the infinity of meaning—concepts that conflict with the structure of the Qur'anic text. The presence of the author within the Qur'anic discourse and the living, active characters who move within its narrative space cannot be considered as mere fictional constructs. This issue is further evident in the study of the narrator within the Qur'anic discourse, relying on the narratological model. The use of this methodology risks diminishing the sanctity of the Qur'anic text due to a mechanical application of the method, without considering the fundamental differences between the Qur'anic narrator and the human author in literary texts. Although the research does not deny the potential benefit of analytical methods introduced by narratology, particularly from structuralism and its subsequent stages, it emphasizes the necessity of understanding critical models in their philosophical foundations and epistemological dimensions to effectively engage with the Qur'anic discourse. Utilizing this approach involves a conscious choice that merges both cognitive and ideological considerations, where the outcomes are intrinsically linked to its philosophical and theoretical premises.
 

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

Criticizing and studying children's stories has brought about a tremendous change in the writing, criticism, and evaluation of stories and achievements in the field of children's literature as a basis for building human thought and the intellectual level in the later stages of life. One of the most important of these theories in criticizing stories is Matthew Lipman's critical thinking approach. In the field of literary criticism, this theory can be used to examine and analyze works in the field of children's literature and distinguish works that have a lot of critical qualifications from works that are weak in this regard. In this article, a story by Yaqoub Al-Sharouni, a well-known Egyptian writer, will be analyzed in the field of children’s literature. The title of the story is “The Sultan, One Day,” and here we aim to analyze the story in terms of repetition and application of the components of critical thinking according to Matthew Lipman’s theory. It is clear that no matter how many children's works technically use these components, they can be recommended for frequent use by children in their daily lives. The conclusion was that Yaqoub Al-Sharouni did not consciously use the specific order and pattern of the theory of critical thinking in his story. So these components sometimes increase and sometimes decrease depending on his personal style and the story process. Of the fifteen components discussed by Lippmann in his theory, nine are used in a story, and for some of them there is more than one model. From this standpoint, the story is considered effective and reliable in teaching children critical thinking. It should be noted that the method used in this research is the descriptive and analytical method.

---

Abstract
The character element is considered one of the main elements in constructing the novel, because it participates in its events negatively and positively, and is considered one of the narrative techniques on which the novel is based and it is considered the factor of its success, distinction and immortality. Among the types of characters, the role of the hero or protagonist, as the most prominent element, excites and stimulates the reader's emotions throughout the novel and creates synergy and convergence with the audience. The actions of the novel are determined by focusing on the role of the protagonist to the extent that it overlaps with other influential characters. Therefore, in the present research, it is tried to investigate the components of the hero's personality and its dimensions in Rabee Jaber's novel "Al-I'tirafat" based on Eyseng's personality theory, using a library method and relying on the descriptive-analytical method. The novel revolves around "Maroun", a character who lives through the Lebanese civil war, where he reveals the internal conflicts he suffers from, and how the war tries to distort his identity and distance him from himself. The main purpose of this article is to examine the typology of confessions based on this theory, a theory that analyzes and examines the natures in three types: introversion, psychosis, and Neurosis. These three dimensions provide a framework that enables us to understand personality traits and encourages us to better uncover their complexities. The result of the research indicates that due to the tense atmosphere derived from the Lebanese civil war, the main and influential existence of the novel has a shaky and awkward identity and is facing an internal crisis and an identity that has no destiny but darkness and misery. According to Eysenck's personality theory, psychopathy and introversion have the highest frequency compared to other components, such as extroversion and psychopathy, which play a mysterious role. The most important signs of psychosis are imbalance in behavior, mental confusion caused by bitter past events, confession of guilt or remorse  and it is one of the signs of introversion, anxiety, feeling of inadequacy and worthlessness or constant humiliation in everyday life and the symptoms of psychosis include lack of concentration, poor memory and stability, and lack of adaptation to environmental changes.

 

---

Sufism is one of the valuable foundations of Islamic legacy that have been reflected in various ways in Islamic poetry and literature. Many poets and scholars have been influenced by sufi ideas and they have incorporated the legacy of Sufism into their works. In addition to poetry, the legacy of Sufism in contemporary Arabic literature has been widely reflected in fiction and especially in novel. One of the novelists who has paid special attention to the legacy of Sufism and the rereading of Sufi characters is Mohammad Hassan Alwan, who has reread the character and thoughts of Ibn Arabi, the prominent mystic and Sufi of the Muslim world, in his novel A Small Death. The significance of the novel A Small Death is that in addition to rereading the Sufi Thoughts of Ibn Arabi as one of the prominent figures in Islamic history and one of the greatest theoreticians of Mysticism and Sufism, it presents a picture of the state of the Islamic world and the Arab world at a critical juncture in history. The novel also provides the reader with many historical, philosophical, political, social, and mystical perspectives using a literary language. This study attempts to study the Sufi thoughts of Ibn Arabi in Mohammad Hassan Alwan's novel A Small Death through the descriptive method and content analysis method. The results show that the author rereads the different stages of Ibn Arabi's life and his thoughts using authentic historical sources and Ibn Arabi's own works, however, he narrates the accounts of birth and death in his own language in an utterly fictional and supernatural setting.
 

---

The writing of novels and stories in a way stems from a history whose unpleasantness and harms people try to reject, transforming it into a more desirable form within stories to find solace. This way, a narrative emerges containing elements of historical and supra-historical/idealistic discourse. Such a study in the field of textual analysis of stories is conducted through the approach of New Historicism. New Historicists meticulously and critically explore literary texts to extract valuable historical data.
New Historicism is one of the latest literary criticism approaches that emerged under the influence of Michel Foucault's theories, generally addressing the relationship between literature and society. Naguib Mahfouz's works, due to their precision and keen insight in narrating events, are worthy of discussion and examination through the lens of New Historicism, as the oppression and disillusionment in Egyptian society during his era are significantly noteworthy. In this article, the author has attempted, using a descriptive-analytical method and the New Historicism approach, to examine the relationship of the novel "Kifah Tiba" with the events and discourses of the author's time. In other words, this research aims to investigate the conditions under which the text is formed and how it creates discourse either to reinforce the dominant discourse or to oppose and protest it. The results indicate that the novel "Kifah Tiba" is one of the successful and famous novels by this author, symbolically and metaphorically addressing the social crisis of his society. The title, characters, and setting of the story serve to advance the main idea of the story, which is anti-colonialism and nationalism
 

---

British sociologist "Catherine Hakim" first expressed the term sexual capital and its types in social life and the balance between men and women. In 2011, he presented his theory and opinions in the book "Sweet Money, the Power of Sexual Capital". Her theory is one of the newest and newest theories of contemporary sociology. Before V. Pierre Bourdieu, the French sociologist believed that human capital is not only movable and immovable property. In addition to economic capital, we also have cultural and social capital. Taking advantage of him, Catherine Hakim called the fourth capital, sexual capital. According to Hakim; This capital has six indicators and these components can be more in many cultures. Since literature plays a significant role in reflecting the culture of any society and its thoughts and beliefs, fictional literature is no exception to these rules. Based on this principle, in this research, by using the descriptive-analytical method and using library sources, the components of sexual capital in the novel "Sabaya Sanja" by Salim Barkat, a Syrian writer, have been investigated and analyzed. The result of this research has shown that the components of beauty and sexual attractiveness and the way of appearing in the society for women, and the social component and vitality for men have been more reflected in this novel, and also the author has not raised erotic relations and related issues in the novel.
 

---

 The story " Archifia " is by Amal Nasser, a young contemporary Lebanese writer and storyteller. This story is exciting and full of events that mix fantasy and reality and helps the child to get used to deep analysis of situations and events away from superficiality and to practice thinking logically in order to reach the desired result. Decentralization is one of the most widely used methods used by children's literature writers to establish a creative relationship with their audience. The purpose of this qualitative research is to reveal the deep structures of decentralization in the story "Archivea" by Amal Nasser and how these techniques are used as a necessary and creative narrative element, and the strengths of using decentralization techniques in this story. It also explores the development of the relationship between the child audience and the author using the content analysis method. in our research we have used the interpretive-abstract approach to answer the questions. The findings of this research show that the effect of decentralization of tactics on the audience is sometimes different and sometimes expanding. Some of these tricks defocus the audience with some kind of movement in the narrative process. Others create expectations for the reader in the process of reading the story, and the reader waits for his prediction to come true, and these tricks surprise the audience with their presence. This research also showed that Amal Nasser uses interconnected decentralizing techniques and advances the narrative flow of the story in an adventurous, intertwined, and exciting way, and successively connects different techniques at one point. Therefore, the audience's mental focus always fluctuates between centralization and decentralization. This research has concluded that the author creates a state of complex ambiguity by using various techniques such as metamorphosis, narrator intervention, and repetition of questions. This ambiguity not only does not confuse the audience, but also arouses their curiosity. It encourages him to actively engage with the text, and by breaking the audience's expectations of a traditional, focused linear narrative, the reader is transformed from a passive recipient into an active participant. Just as their use to change the narrator's point of view and highlight simultaneous events behind the scenes allows for the presentation of reality from different angles and enriches the reading experience, it reinforces the concepts of the text and gives greater clarity and value to the meanings of the text.
 

---

The setting is one of the most important elements of a literary work, particularly in novels. It seeks to recreate reality and allows the reader to understand the novel's events and immerse themselves in it as if it were real, even though it is a product of imagination. This study aims to analyze the significance of the setting in Jabra's novels, intersecting with the perspectives of critic Jabra Ibrahim Jabra, exploring how the setting contributes to the construction of the novel and imbues it with symbolism and cultural meanings. Jandari noted that previous studies were limited to the physical aspects of the setting without examining its role within the text, failing to address questions about the setting within the narrative discourse to comprehend the novel's events. He argued that the concept of space should remain tied to reading, starting from the model rather than theory, to understand the unique ways in which Arabic literature conceptualizes these ideas. Researchers believe that studying the novelistic setting enriches discussions about literary texts, as literature relies on and is grounded in time to create its space and imagery. It also allows us to engage with broader issues related to the interplay of time and space in the studied novels, compared to their counterparts in historical reality, and the resulting challenges of textual-literary diagnosis about real-world referents.Examining the setting as a structural element in Jabra Ibrahim Jabra's novels is a pivotal aspect that lends artistic and cultural depth to the narrative text. It becomes evident that Jabra did not merely treat the setting as a narrative necessity but infused it with profound meanings that complement the characters and events, making the setting an active participant in the novel. The methodology adopted in this study is the structural-genetic approach, which incorporates critique and the addition of perspectives, as the critic revitalizes the methodology through their research style rather than confining themselves to its framework and terminology. The findings of this article suggest that Jandari's concept of novelistic space implies multiple meanings and dimensions. Critic Ibrahim Jandari believes that the study of spatial settings is achieved by examining these intellectual principles within the narrative text of the novel.

---

Social agents play an important role in shaping a text or discourse. They are central to its meaning and purpose. However, little atention is given to how they are represented. Van Leeuwen argues that agents are represented in two main ways: exclusion and inclusion. Each has its own subcategories. Understanding these representations helps reveal underlying discourses.

---

Since the Arabic novel reached an artistic level and realism emerged, albeit later than its Western counterpart, it became a medium that expresses many important issues in illustrating the lived reality of Arab societies. Resistance literature also emerged following the pivotal transformations in the Arab and Islamic world, especially after the setbacks suffered by Arab countries due to the Zionist invasion of Palestine and other Arab lands, and the oppression faced by Arab peoples both from tyrannical rulers at home and Zionist enemies who came from outside. This led to a strong connection between literature and social and political issues due to the impact that lived reality has on literary genres in general and the novel in particular. This connection is evident in the works of the Lebanese writer Abdel-Majid Zaraqet and his resistance literature novels. His novel *The Path of the Sun* is a prominent example of these transformations experienced by the region, including the oppression, invasion, and displacement endured by the Palestinian people and southern Lebanon during a certain period of the last century. The author lived through the conflicts and disasters faced by both peoples and experienced the ordeal of the Israeli invasion of southern Lebanon, which forced him to move from his village to the capital, Beirut. In this study, we employed a descriptive-analytical method to uncover the social reality in southern Lebanon and to examine how the author depicted the features of the narrative space, illustrated the social components in the village and the city, detailed the description of various places and their connection to events and characters, and showed the extent of the tragedies that befell the Lebanese people and the south as a result of the Israeli army’s attacks. army's attacks. It addresses topics related to the reality of social life.
 

---

Critical discourse, in fact, is considered the formative process of discourse analysis, in which, by going beyond the mere description of linguistic data, attention is paid to the effective processes in the formation of discourse. In this type of discourse analysis, two social and linguistic approaches are discussed; which is explained in the social approach, discourse and situational context, and in the linguistic approach, the textual context. With the aim that the structures of power, domination and the resulting political, social and cultural inequalities are analyzed and investigated through a critical lens in the text. In this research, the novel "Confessions of Katem Sot" by Moens Al-Razzaz is analyzed using Norman Fairclough's critical discourse analysis approach in three levels of description, explanation and interpretation with descriptive analytical method. With the critical analysis of the mentioned novel, it is clear that the author is trying to express his nationalist political thoughts by highlighting the key words of the story through the technique of repetition and lexical rhyme and the use of special words, and by picturing it to the reader to understand It gives a depth of the main content of the story. And at the level of interpretation, he pays attention to the situational context and intertextuality of the discourse of the novel, which is the intertextuality in a myth like Sisyphus, and the presentation of the thinking of the national body of the party (Baath) on the issue of internal oppression, which leads to the loss of revolutionary ideas and disconnection. The relationship with the masses has become clear. And at the explanation level, the text was analyzed as a part of the process of social struggle in the context of power relations, which expresses the author's ideology, and the reactionary thoughts and lack of realism and traditional thoughts of the people in the beginning and end of the story, and their superficiality, expresses the reason for the failure of popular movements.