Zainab Daryanward, Mohammad Javad Pourabed, Rasoul Balavi, Ali Khezri, Haitham Al-Suwaili,
Volume 5, Issue 1 (11-2023)
Abstract
Focalization in narrative texts determines the point of view in movies. This also plays a significant role in advancing the events and the narrative process through the multiple effects of the focal point. It can be argued that the overlap between novelistic focalization and cinematic focalization is advantageous for both fields. Focalization in narrative texts designates the position and place of the narrator and the point of view from which he/she narrates the events while in cinema focalization means that the camera narrates each character’s point of view separately, which affects the spectator. Also, these dramatic elements increase the audience’s ability to understand the discourse in such a way that focalization becomes a dramatic technique. This argument holds particularly true for Zahran Al-Qassimi’s The Sniper. He locates the viewpoints in different places of the villages of Oman through the camera Saleh bin Sheikhan, the protagonist, carries with him. This study, based on a descriptive-analytical method, addresses the focalization techniques within the cinematic discourse and its various effects in The Sniper focusing on the image structure. The objective of this study is to examine the signs of image focalization within the novel’s cinematic discourse. It finds that the way the interaction of the camera and the narrator’s personality affects the spectator can be observed in various scenes. This study specifically focuses on visual focalization and its dimensions.
Fatima Bouadhar, Hossein Mohtadi, Nasser Zare, Sayed Haider Faree Shirazi,
Volume 5, Issue 3 (4-2024)
Abstract
The narrative mode of Passages, a novel by Fatin Al-Murr, employs the focalization to establish the point of view presented in the story. This technique focuses on who observes the story rather than who narrates it. Gérard Genette identifies three levels of focalization: zero, internal, and exterior. In Passages focalization is utilized to depict two seemingly contradictory identities through the perspectives of two narrators (Darine and Najwa). Each character embodies a unique identity shaped by the Israeli occupation, representing the Palestinian Christian and Muslim communities in Lebanon and the refugee camps, as well as the Palestinian Muslim population. This study adopts a descriptive-analytical approach based on Gerard Genette's theory of focalization to examine the author's style in Passages and its portrayal of the reality of the Arab world during the Israeli occupation. This study identifies the presence of all three focalization patterns, with the perspectives of Darine and Najwa serving as primary vehicles for storytelling. The introspective narrative within the novel is predominantly channeled through Najwa's perspective, characterized by her profound understanding of the Palestinian conflict. Through a series of exchanged letters, Najwa endeavors to enlighten her Christian friend about the brutal massacres and injustices unfolding in Palestine.
Qader Qaderi, Fezzeh Niyazi,
Volume 18, Issue 1 (5-2026)
Abstract
Discourse analysis is one of the significant branches of literary studies and narratology, focusing on a holistic approach to examining the structural and functional elements of narrative. Gérard Genette, a prominent theorist of structuralism, is among those who have provided a comprehensive framework for narrative theory, establishing a scientific foundation for discourse analysis. This study examines the novel "Bab al-Tabashir" by Ahmed Saadawi, a contemporary Iraqi writer, through the lens of Genette's narrative discourse theory. The aim of this research is to analyze the elements of time, form, and tone as three fundamental components of narration, and to explore their role in representing the identity crisis of Ali Najee, the challenges faced by Layla Hamid, and the reflection of the social life of the Iraqi people. Additionally, this study analyzes the emergence of Ali Najee as a savior and the use of the seven Sumerian spells within the context of a surrealistic narrative, emphasizing the impact of these narrative techniques. The study adopts a descriptive-analytical method based on Genette's theories, with the goal of analyzing how narrative techniques influence the portrayal of intellectual conflicts the author addresses regarding issues of identity, social problems, and the role of the savior. The findings of the research suggest that Saadawi, through the use of techniques such as anachrony, temporal jumps, and interruptions, dual focalization, and changes in the intensity of character roles, has established a simultaneous relationship between the narrative and the core subject of the story. These techniques not only serve to depict the personal and social consequences of events, but also act as tools to highlight key themes such as intellectual conflicts and the social identity of the characters. These artistic elements are creatively employed in "Bab al-Tabashir", giving the work distinctive features that set it apart from other works in modern literature. In particular, the dual focus on narrative perspective and the intensity shifts in character roles effectively convey the individual and social impacts of the events in this work.
