The textual thresholds in the novel "A Spit on the Face of Life" by Fouad Al-Takarli

Abstract

Since the inception of ancient times and the commencement of human literary text inscription and conservation, there have been concurrent scholarly endeavors to craft these texts, scrutinizing literary forms and terminologies. Despite these endeavors, the endeavors to scrutinize external texts or those adjacent to the text were hesitant until the emergence of "Gerard Genette," who established the foundation for a genuine interest in the external texts encircling the internal text and sought to scrutinize them in what is presently recognized as textual thresholds. These thresholds function as a portal to comprehending the primary text and as a boundary for accessing it. Hence, these inquiries formed the basis for investigation: What did the textual thresholds contribute to Fouad Al-Takarli's novel "Spit in the Face of Life"? Did Al-Takarli possess distinct textual thresholds that set him apart from Iraqi novels? The impetus behind conducting this study resides in Al-Takarli's unique position within Iraqi and Arab novels, along with grasping the extent of the influence of the aesthetics of adjacent texts on readers and the novel as a whole. In my study, I employed the semiotic approach and the methodology of depiction and examination, encompassing an introduction, two segments, a conclusion, and an annex with origins and citations.