Narrative techniques in children s literature of Abdel Tawab Yousef

Abstract

Children’s literature is considered one of the most important literary genres due to its vital role in shaping a child's personality, developing their intellectual and emotional capacities, and instilling educational and social values. The short story, in particular, stands out as a primary form of this literature, where a variety of narrative techniques are employed to stimulate the child’s imagination and enhance their linguistic and expressive abilities. This study explores the topic of “Narrative Techniques in Children’s Literature of Abdel Tawab Yousef”, aiming to uncover the most prominent narrative methods the author used in building characters and crafting plot structures in his stories for children. The analysis is based on selected works, namely The Life of Muhammad in Twenty Stories and Funny Stories from the Noble Hadith. The researcher adopted a descriptive-analytical approach, focusing particularly on the use of anthropomorphism and personification in character construction, and on various plot techniques such as backstory, flashback, prolepsis, repetition, and others. The study highlights the importance of narrative techniques in attracting a child’s attention and enhancing their linguistic and imaginative abilities. These techniques also help simplify complex ideas and present them in an engaging and age-appropriate way. Through a captivating narrative style, the writer effectively instills moral and educational values without being weariness or dull. The study emphasizes the importance of narrative quality in producing children’s stories, due to its significant role in fostering a love for reading and learning. The research is organized into four main chapters: Chapter One: Children's literature and its development, with focus on its features and psychological and educational functions. Chapter Two: Narrative techniques and literary elements in stories targeted at children. Chapter Three: Abdel-Tawab Yousef’s contribution to children's literature and the unique characteristics of his narrative style. Chapter Four: Analysis of key narrative techniques in selected stories by Abdel-Tawab Yousef. The study concludes that Abdel-Tawab Yousef successfully employed narrative techniques suitable for a child’s cognitive level. He achieved a harmonious blend of educational value and artistic enjoyment through a simple yet engaging style, reflecting a high level of narrative awareness. He managed to address both the mind and heart of the child simultaneously, using literary tools that balanced entertainment and guidance, imagination and reality, making his stories a model in contemporary Arab children's literature. The study confirms the importance of understanding these techniques as a gateway to analyzing children’s literature and enhancing its artistic and educational value.