Arabic Literature

Abstract There are many studies on reader-response criticism; studies that require extraordinary precision in reading text. Especially if the text is narration. If the author is present in the narrative text, the work becomes harder for the researcher. Also, when he is beyond the text or there is a collection of narrators in the narrative. The research requires the study of literary systems, types of reader such as true reader and implied reader and its kinds, in order to disclose the interpretations that the text contains. Among the Arab novelists who have widely paid attention to the writing of unfamiliar texts is the Iraqi writer 'Alaa Shakir, especially in his fantasy surrealistic novel of "The Tomb of England" in which the events, characters, plot, and narrators are intertwined. In addition, there is a dead narrator who tells the process of his death, and another narrator who ends the novel in the form of a meta-narrative, so that the novel provides great spaces for the reader's interpretation. The research seeks the intrinsic point of view, the audience of the narrative, phenomenology, the implied reader and the horizon of expectations, the reader's experience, and the literary and psychological ability of the reader. According to the researchers' survey, ideal and comprehensive reader types were found in the novel. This research has a descriptive-analytical approach, and refers to the opinions of expert thinkers in the field of reader's reading. The most important finding of this research is that the reader in this novel is active, not passive. In addition, its text is not a closed text, but rather open to multiple readings. As Shakir has given the reader sufficient freedom to move through the scope of the text. His focus is on the pivotal role of the reader in creating the text. Actually, Shaker makes the reader participate in the creative process which leads to a strong interaction between the reader and the text

Abstract The psychological criticism is one of the novel techniques in literary criticism which tries to examine what is beyond the literary work in order to find the interconnection between art and the artist. The American psychologist, Abraham Maslow, believes that human beings need to grow, and to achieve this growth and development, they need to fulfill five steps of requirements including physiological, security, social, esteem and self-actualization needs. In fact, these needs help the individual accomplish the ultimate goal and first, lower level needs must be satisfied so that the person can reach higher levels and finally self-actualization. In this regard, the present research, through the descriptive-analytical approach, examines the protagonist of the novel Ayyām maʻah by Colette Khoury, the Syrian author based on Maslow’s theory. The novel is mostly indicative of Koury’s character and her society whose restrictions are the biggest obstacles to the growth and excellence of the women. Despite the obstacles, most of the women are trying harder to resist them in order to reach perfection for creativity and self-actualization. The results of this study indicate that the aforesaid novel matches the indices mentioned by Maslow for self-actualization. Most women and girls do not have the chance to develop and nurture their talents and capacity because of obstacles like irrational customs and traditions. The most obvious need of the protagonist is the presence of a supporter who can remove the obstacles to her growth and grant her wishes. Although she does not have all self-actualization components, having characteristics such as resistance to acculturation, problem-centeredness, acceptance of herself and others, creativity, simplicity, and being natural is a sign of self-actualization. She tries to reach the requirements in steps 4 and 5 of Maslow’s pyramid, and on this way, along with the resistance to the dominant culture, she reaches self-actualization by developing her talents like composing poems and playing music.