"Narrative Analysis of Khalifa's Novel, Asl wa fasl"

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Abstract

This study is related to the analysis of the narration techniques in the novel "As L and Fasl " which is translated as Start and Origin, and it was written by the novelist Sahar Khalifa who used the novelistic narration to tell us about the conflict of "AaL- Kuhtan" family who inhabited" Nablus City" . The roots of this family originated in the Empty Quarter in the Arabian Peninsula.
She started the novel by introducing the characters in its different chapters and she titled some of the chapters deliberately by one of her characters or one of their characteristics and the other chapters are titled by the name of the place where the events of the novel took place.
In this novel, the novelist highlighted self conflict, social conflict, political and religious conflict.
She has activated the joined and developing events of the novel to show the psychological and social problems and complexes, political obstacles, oppression and injustice which fell on weak people who lived in ignorance which spread among them, legends, and obstructions by the remains of the ancient past. Also, the strong tension of the British mandatory, fraud and hostile plots which were made by Zionist existence against these people. The events of the novel took place at the time of Ottoman's Emperor Disappearance and the remains of that Emperor such as hunger, poverty diseases and treacherous ally who colonized them Instead of giving them their freedom. Not only that, but also donating Zionist existence the right of constructing their own country against the interests of Palestinian people. The setting of this novel took place in three Palestinian cities such as" Nablus, Haifa and Jerusalem" .
The language  of the novelist is distinguished by poetic narration. She employed the beauty of the rhythm in prose in which beautiful metaphors are used naturally and involuntarily she also employed the Palestinian dialect in the dialogues between the characters. Besides that she used traditional sayings and proverbs from the heritage, she used historical hints mixed by short simple English sentences and some times mixed by Hebrew expressions to suit the situation and the event.
She also used the art of reminding the past and anticipating the future in her narration of the story which was provided by an end considered as the beginning point in the real situation that we live in.