Representations of Society in Feminine and Male Narratives of the Short Story: A Sociological Reading of Contemporary Models 10.35781/1637-000-129-006

Abstract

This research discusses the dialectical relationship between literature and society through an applied study of short and very short stories by male and female writers from Beheira Governorate, Egypt. It is based on the premise that the short story is a reflection of social, psychological, and political transformations and a critical tool that reveals mental and cultural structures. The research focuses on representations of society in male and female narratives, and analyzes the differences in the representation of social issues between the sexes through several short story collections. The research uses the sociological approach as a general framework, employing the tools of discourse analysis and semiotics to uncover symbols and connotations in the narrative structure. The results confirm that the short stories studied represent a clear reflection of social reality and monitor the most prominent crises of contemporary Egyptian society, such as anxiety, alienation, hypocrisy, imbalanced values, lack of freedom, gender discrimination, and class conflict. The results also showed that feminist narratives focus on women's issues in their interaction with society. These models employ symbolism, paradox, and suggestion to express these crises, all of which makes the short story an important artistic tool for monitoring and addressing societal transformations and problems.