A Miracle in the Desert as a Child-Oriented Novel: A Study of its Content and Narrative Construction

Abstract

This research investigates the nature of child-oriented novel which represents very important educational and aesthetic values, and it is a modern genre in contemporary Arabic literature promoted by few talented and experienced Arab writers. Therefore, the aim of this study is to critically examine one of these thoughtful novels, namely “Miracle in the Desert” by the pioneering Arab writer Yaqoub Al-Sharouni, through examining its structure and its ethical and educational directives. To achieve this goal, the study used the descriptive analysis with the benefit of the data of the semiotic method and the narrative techniques. The major finding of the study is that child-oriented novel is a defined artistic work in which a writer uses the well-known narrative techniques with special consideration of the age stage and the educational values established in child-oriented discourse.