Document Type : Research paper
Authors
1 PhD student of Arabic Language and Literature, Azarbaijan Shahid Madani university. Tabriz. Iran
2 Associate Professor of Arabic Language and Literature, Azarbaijan Shahid Madani University ,Tabriz, Iran.
3 associate prof. in neuroscience, psychology department, Azarbaijan Shahid Madani university
Abstract
Literary theorists contend that readers view texts as they are presented; however, Norman Holland posits that readers engage in the automatic processing of words throughout the narrative and are actively involved with literary texts rather than being passive recipients. They employ literary works as a means to symbolize and ultimately reconstruct their identities, initiating a process of creating new narratives in their minds informed by their schemata and previous experiences. Therefore, a reader's comprehension of a text does not reside solely within that text; rather, it emerges after a physical representation of the text is established in the brain. It is through these neural constructs that a connection between internal and external realities is forged. The novel "Tghreebat al-Ghaafir" (The Water Diviner), authored by Zahran Alqasmi and published in 2021, serves as the focal point for this essay. The analysis explores three theoretical-cognitive elements: engagement, dual experience, and regression, as they relate to this particular novel. Furthermore, it highlights Holland's contributions from cognitive linguistics regarding how readers interpret and are affected by the narrative progression. Analyzing this novel through a cognitive framework reveals that its episodes pose challenges due to an imbalance in narrative structure and the concurrent arrangement of active and passive actions; these elements engage the reader's active mind throughout the storyline, facilitating identification with characters and encouraging adherence to their behavioral patterns to fulfill personal desires and needs during the reading experience.
Main Subjects
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