The Problematica of Searching for Self through the another in the Novel "The Heir" by the Iraqi Jewish Writer Shimon Balas

Abstract

This research examines the novel "The Heir" by the Iraqi Jewish writer Shimon Balas, which sheds light on the psychological and social transformations of the protagonist's character(the hero of novel). The study also seeks to explore the subject of the self and the problematica  of finding and identifying it through the other. Here, Shimon Balas poses a complex problematica related to the search for self through the other within a narrative context fraught with cultural and social fragmentation. This problematica is manifested through the character of the protagonist, who attempts to redefine himself through the other, whether the other is one or more characters symbolizing a homeland or a sense of belonging.  It should be noted that this research does not lead to self-discovery, but rather to the illusion of self in all its attempts to search for self through the other, whereby the other becomes a confused mirror reflecting an incomplete image of the self. This opens the door to a multidimensional analysis of the novel's narrative in light of theories of the self, attempts to identify it, the obstacles the individual encounters on this journey, and the possibility of success or failure in finding it through the other. The research explores how the novel embodies the self's struggle between belonging and separation between the past and the present reality. It also sheds light on the role of women as a narrative symbol in redefining the self within the novel. The research contributes to enriching studies concerned with diaspora literature and intersecting identities in Arab-Jewish literature.