Sociological critique of Bata Street, a novel by Zayd Al-Shahid based on Lucien Goldmann's theory of genetic structuralism

Abstract

Lucien Goldmann is considered the founder of the theory of genetic structuralism. He believes that literary works develop according to the mental structure of social classes and groups rather than the individual. He also combines Marxist ideas and structuralist ideas to define his new method, because while Marxist theory consider social and economic conditions as influencing elements on literary works, structuralism solely considers the structure of the text. Therefore, in his approach, he combines the form and the content, that is the structure of the text and external variables that affect the structure, with the approach that the writer is influenced by the reality and the environment in which he lives. The structuralist approach includes spontaneity, ideology and dialectical and historical worldview of materialism. Zaid al-Shaheed is one of the most prominent Iraqi authors who has addressed the disasters caused by hot war and bloody conflicts and the changes of the Iraqi nation and the significant problems in his society. In his novel Batta Street, he is strongly influenced by the ideas of genetic structuralism. Therefore, this research based on the analytical-descriptive method, tries to analyze the social issues and worldviews of various classes, as well as the author's interaction with the principles of genetic structuralism, such as real consciousness, potential consciousness, false consciousness, worldview and reification. One of the most significant findings of this research is to demonstrate the worldview of various social classes in the novel and how they are affected by economic conditions.