An examination of the names of the characters in the novel "The Story of Hunger and Fullness" (Dilshad) by Bashar Khalfan

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 PhD student of Arabic Language and Literature in Faculty of Literature and Humanities. Razi University, Kermanshah,, Iran

2 Assosiate Professor of Arabic Language and Literature in Razi University, Kermanshah,, Iran

10.22091/npa.2026.13773.1042

Abstract

Naming characters is one of the meaningful elements in the narrative structure of a novel and can play a decisive role in conveying concepts, representing identities, and directing the narrative process. In the novel Sirah al-Jou’ wa al-Shaba’ (Dilshad) by Bashari Khalfan, the names of the characters are more than just a random choice; they carry cultural, social, and symbolic connotations and establish a meaningful connection with the historical and ethnic context. The present study uses a descriptive-analytical approach to examine the names of the main and secondary characters in this novel and attempts to explain the relationship between the names, the roles of the characters, and the overall chain of narrative events. For this purpose, the characters were first selected based on their level of influence in advancing the narrative, and then their names were analyzed in relation to the novel’s subject, social atmosphere, ethnic diversity, and semantic layers of the text. The results of the study show that the auditory diversity of names and the reflection of ethnic diversity in the novel's narrative society have led to the formation of a diverse range of characters, and naming has served as a narrative tool in highlighting different social identities and voices. Also, the choice of names is consistent with the role of the story's actors and the path of narrative developments, and helps to strengthen the symbolic and semantic load of the work. This study ultimately answers the questions of what are the most important symbolic .

Keywords

References

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Arabic Prose Studies
Volume 2, Issue 4 - Serial Number 4
December 2025
Pages 20-36

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History

  • Receive Date: 06 September 2025
  • Revise Date: 20 October 2025
  • Accept Date: 20 November 2025
  • First Publish Date: 06 December 2025
  • Publish Date: 06 December 2025

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