Mechanisms of reading in the novel “Ta’a Al-Khijal” by Fadila Al-Farouq

Abstract

his research paper examines the mechanisms of reading in the novel "Taa' Al-Khajal" (The Shameful T) by the Algerian author Fadila Al-Farouk. The novel reflects the deep conflict experienced by women in societies bound by traditions and patriarchal values. It unveils the suffering of women in the face of a value system that imposes strict constraints on them, revealing the tension between the sacred and the forbidden. Here, the woman writes about herself and her relationship with the Other. Such inherited perspectives negatively affect the process of reception.

The study is divided based on the terminological and procedural framework, focusing on the concept of the implied reader—both hidden and apparent in the novel. The aim is to highlight the mechanisms that enable an in-depth reading of the novel, uncovering its symbolic and functional dimensions, and exploring the role of the implied reader in the process of reception as an active partner in generating meanings