تحليل تطبيقي فرهنگ عامه در رمان "چنار دالبتي" منصوره شريف‌زاده و رمان "خربة شيخ أحمد" عيسي الشيخ حسن

An Applied Analysis of Folk Culture in the Novel Chenar-e Dalbeti by Mansoureh Sharifzadeh an‎d the Novel Khirbat Sheikh Ahmad by Issa Al-Sheikh Hassan

زبان و ادبيات عربي

Abstract Popular culture, as an inseparable an‎d fundamental component of a nation’s cultural an‎d literary identity, encompasses a wide range of beliefs, customs, traditions, language, music, an‎d other cultural manifestations that are transmitted orally from one generation to the next. This unwritten culture reflects the everyday life, social structures, an‎d historical transformations of a society, playing a significant role in shaping both the collective consciousness an‎d the individual an‎d communal identity of its people. Fiction, as one of the key reflections of culture, has continually sought to depict a vivid an‎d tangible image of people’s lives through the incorporation of elements of popular culture within its narrative structure. This study aims to conduct a comparative analysis of the representation of popular culture in two prominent novels: Chenār-e Dālbeti by Mansoureh Sharifzadeh from Iran an‎d Khirbat al-Sheikh Ahmad by Issa al-Sheikh Hassan from Syria. These two works, as representative examples of contemporary literature in their respective countries, focus on the lives of lower-class an‎d rural communities. By employing simple an‎d colloquial language, they depict the beliefs, customs, an‎d socio-cultural concerns of their societies within their fictional frameworks. The study examines various aspects of popular culture, including folk beliefs such as superstitions, magic, an‎d supernatural forces; social customs surrounding marriage, mourning, an‎d festivals; local language an‎d oral literature, including proverbs an‎d idioms; folk songs an‎d traditional music; traditional clothing; an‎d social structures. The comparative analysis reveals that both authors employ these cultural elements creatively an‎d effectively in advancing the plot, shaping characters, an‎d establishing narrative atmosphere—thereby conveying a vibrant an‎d dynamic cultural presence to the reader. However, differences in the depiction of popular culture between the two novels emerge, largely stemming from the distinct historical, social, an‎d cultural contexts of Iran an‎d Syria. For instance, in Chenār-e Dālbeti, the belief in talismans an‎d magical powers is both directly an‎d symbolically embedded within the narrative structure, influencing the characters’ decisions. In contrast, in Khirbat al-Sheikh Ahmad, the fear of jinn an‎d supernatural forces is more subtly woven into the rural setting an‎d the daily lives of the villagers. Moreover, variations in language an‎d narrative structure between the two novels mirror the broader cultural an‎d social distinctions of their respective societies. This research demonstrates how fiction can serve as an effective medium for reflecting popular culture an‎d, through a comparative examination of works from two different traditions, provide deeper insight into cultural similarities an‎d divergences. The findings of this study may contribute to fields such as cultural studies, literary anthropology, an‎d literary criticism—particularly in exploring the influence of popular culture on contemporary fiction—an‎d contribute to fostering stronger cultural bridges among diverse societies. Keywords: Popular culture; contemporary novel; comparative analysis; Khirbat al-Sheikh Ahmad; Chenār-e Dālbeti.

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