Narrative Structure and Social Transformations in the Short Story Collection Muzaridah by Mohammed Alwan

Abstract

This study aims to explore the narrative structure of the short story collection Muzaridah by Saudi writer Mohammed Alwan, through analyzing its artistic and semantic elements and examining how the textual thresholds—particularly the title and the dedication—function as interpretive keys that illuminate the dimensions and symbolic layers of the stories. The study adopts a structuralist approach, drawing on the concepts of structure, sign, and actant as developed in the theoretical frameworks of Tzvetan Todorov and Gérard Genette. It seeks to understand the representations of social and cultural transformations reflected in the collection, especially through themes such as love, the struggle with tradition, and the desire to transcend outdated beliefs. The analysis reveals that Alwan employs diverse narrative techniques that convey a critical perspective on Saudi reality, presenting a literary discourse that blends aesthetic expression with social concern. This positions Muzaridah as a text indicative of a moment of both narrative and societal transformation.