Genre Awareness and Referential Pact: "On the Road to Freedom: Memoirs by Al-Azzi Salih Al-Suneidar"- (A Structural Approach).

Abstract

This study aims to determine the position of Al-Suneidar's text within the spheres of self-narration, and whether the author was aware, while writing, that he was writing his memoirs, or if he was not aware of it. And were the authors of parallel texts also aware of this genre of writing, and of its unique characteristics that distinguish it from other genres of self-narration? And does Al-Suneidar's text truly belong to the genre of memoirs, or does it oscillate between multiple genres that are more or less close to it? This study employed a structural approach, and consisted of an introduction, five chapters, and a conclusion, examining the text's thresholds, internal titles, and narrative structure. It concluded that the text falls within the context of self-narration, especially memoirs. Any influence of other closely related genres found within it came within the context of the convergence and interweaving of genres, as each genre is intertwined with the characteristics of the other, albeit to varying degrees. This interweaving does not negate the right of the main genre to preserve its generic specificity because the text was constructed according to a well-structured strategy and plan, revealed by narrative analysis, and the author benefited from several genres in constructing his memoir text. As for the precise generic awareness of the characteristics of the memoir genre, it appeared to vary with the author, as well as with the presenters of the text. Despite this, the characteristics and features of the memoir genre remain present in varying forms, pulling the text towards its generic identity, as revealed by the narrative analysis.