A critical analysis of the discourse of the soul in the novel What Looks like Murder based on the Theories of Avicenna and Teun Van Dijk

Izadi, Zahra; Pirani Shall, Ali; Falahati, Soghra; Abavisani, Hossein

doi:10.30465/afg.2025.51760.2191

A critical analysis of the discourse of the soul in the novel What Looks like Murder based on the Theories of Avicenna and Teun Van Dijk

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Zahra Izadi ¹

Ali Pirani Shall ²

Soghra Falahati ²

Hossein Abavisani ²

¹ Ph.D. Candidate of Arabic language and literature, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Kharazmi University, Karaj, Iran

² Associate Professor of Arabic language and literature, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Kharazmi University, Karaj, Iran

10.30465/afg.2025.51760.2191

Abstract

Critical discourse analysis is a possibility that linguistics has provided to researchers, assuming that various texts, including novels, are a construction of power relations in society. Meanwhile, Theon van Dijk’s recent theory entitled mental models of context has provided the basis for explaining how information is edited in the minds of participants. The present study aims to examine the application of Ibn Sina’s theory of psychology with regard to van Dijk’s socio-cognitive approach in the novel what Looks like murder. This study has concluded that each character in the story symbolizes the Powers of the soul that, in their quest for perfection and self-knowledge, moves towards the tree of wisdom or active intellect. In the critical analysis at the semantic level, various strategies such as titles, polarization, contrast, magnification, quantity and quality of details and conceptual metaphors have been used. Also, at the applied level, the author has criticized the intellect, which is a symbol of the leaders of popular movements, and at the same time accused the ruling class of monopolizing knowledge and wisdom. In addition, he has emphasized the necessity of intellect to unite the soul’s powers and direct them towards wisdom, while at the same time considering it insufficient for receiving wisdom.

Keywords

Psychology

What Looks like Murder

Avicenna

Teun Van Dijk

Context Mental Models

Subjects