Examination and Analysis of Modality in the Novel "Al-Qannas" by Zahraan Al-Qasimi: Based on the Modality-Narrative Model of Paul Simpson

Introduction

Although various studies and opinions regarding the "narrative perspective" have been presented by linguists and stylisticians such as Roger Fowler, Gérard Genette, and Boris Uspensky over the years, the precise concept of narrative perspective analysis still requires further clarification. Pavel Simpson (1993), as an active figure in the fields of stylistics and critical linguistics, has presented the narrative perspective in a more precise and systematic manner. He has proposed a model called the "modality-narrative" model, which includes three more specific components: spatial perspective, temporal perspective, and psychological perspective. The modal elements present in the text connect these three types of perspectives (Khadami, 2012: 8). Within this framework, Simpson adopts a method of narration based on two main axes: "narrative style or point of view" and "modality." In the first axis, he distinguishes between first-person and third-person narration, and in the second axis, he differentiates types of narration, proposing three main types (Simpson, 2019). Today, many researchers have utilized this model in analyzing various literary works, and the results of these studies highlight the importance of this model in understanding the linguistic style of literary works, especially fictional ones. In fact, Simpson's model can serve as a scientific tool for identifying and discovering the unknowns of a literary work. Researchers can use this model to discern the themes of literary works, uncover secondary meanings in the text, and present aesthetic critiques. Moreover, audiences can gain a deeper understanding of the literary nuances of the works. In this context, the following essay seeks to provide a new analysis of the novel " Al-Qannas " by Zahran Al-Qasimi, an Omani author, based on Simpson's modality-narrative model. It is essential to note that Simpson's narrative theory encompasses various axes and is not limited to just these two. However, due to the fact that applying all the axes of this theory to a single literary work would require multiple articles and exceed the scope of one article, researchers have primarily drawn on Simpson's views related to point of view and modality. o achieve your goal, the following two questions are essential:

1. How is the narrative perspective or storytelling method presented in the novel " Al-Qannas " according to Simpson's model?

2. How is modality manifested in the novel " Al-Qannas " according to Simpson's model?

Methodology

This research has been conducted in a descriptive-analytical manner using library resources. The theoretical information related to the mentioned model has been initially collected and categorized through consulting written sources, including books, theses, and articles. Subsequently, the novel "Al-Qannas" has been analyzed from the perspective of Simpson's narrative modality model.

Results and Discussion

Based on the analysis of samples from the text of the story Al-Qanas, it was determined that the novel Al-Qanas is narrated both through the voice of the author, Zahran Al-Qasimi, and through the voice of the protagonist, Saleh. Of course, the author's and Saleh's perspectives are not in contradiction with each other at any stage of the narrative and are completely consistent.

According to Simpson's model, regardless of which narrator is telling the story, the narrator can adopt a positive, negative, or neutral perspective on what he is saying. The imperative and imperative mood systems indicate a positive perspective. The dominant system used in this novel is the imperative. Words based on longing and the desire to hunt antelope are spread throughout the story.

Conclusion

The findings obtained from the examination and analysis of the novel " Al-Qannas " based on Simpson's narrative modality model indicated that, according to Simpson's model, in " Al-Qannas," some sections of the story are narrated in the first-person and omniscient perspectives, while others are narrated in the third-person perspective. Thus, the story is sometimes presented from the voice of the author (narrator) and sometimes from the perspective of a character named Saleh (the protagonist), without any contradiction in viewpoint when conveying meanings.

Additionally, the findings from the analysis of how the modality category is manifested in " Al-Qannas " showed that the predominant modality used in this novel is positive. The author employs positive narrative modality and linguistic elements related to "first-person positive modality" and "third-person positive modality," as well as using desiderative modal verbs, evaluative adverbs and adjectives, reporting verbs indicating the thoughts and perceptions of the characters, opinion-expressing sentences, and generalizing statements in this novel, successfully conveying the content of the story. Although the author's main approach in this novel is social, he effectively convinces the audience of the validity of the statements present in the novel by utilizing diverse adjectives, adverbs, and verbs.

Zahran Al-Qasimi attempts to make the customs and traditions related to rural life, the nature of mountainous areas in Oman, and the difficulties and problems present in these regions acceptable to the audience. His use of verbs and expressions sometimes conveys his own optimism regarding future events to the audience. However, in some sections of the story, the author employs negative modality in the form of uncertain verbs to express uncertainty in the decisions of the protagonist or characters. Modal verbs such as: "maybe" and "should", modal adverbs such as: "most likely" and "it is very unlikely that".



Keywords: Simpson, modality-narrative perspective, Zahraan Al-Qasimi, " Al-Qannas "