The intersection between narrative structure and rhetorical style in journalistic short stories: An analytical study of models from Al-Zaman newspaper in Iraq

Abstract

The study explores the journalistic short story as a hybrid genre that combines journalistic functions—such as documentation, conveying reality, and social criticism—with literary tools like narrative structure, plot, and rhetorical language. The goal is to present a powerful artistic depiction of real events. Its significance in the Iraqi context lies in uncovering its mechanisms of influence and documenting experiences such as violence and displacement. Examples from "Al-Zaman" include "Ajoy Trip in a Bombed Car" by the late Al-Hamrani, addressing the horrors of violence; "More Than a Melancholic Tune" by Abdul Rahman Majid Al-Rubaie, which portrays dialogues of exiles; and "City's Shadow" by Saad Auda, depicting an escape from disaster. The research adopts a descriptive-analytical method, using narrative analysis tools (plot, perspective, time, and place) and rhetorical devices (metaphor, irony, deviation, and repetition) to explore how narratives transform news events into intense human experiences that reflect Iraqi realities with emotion and social critique.