Imprisonment in ayman Al Otooms novel Yaa Sahibai al Sijn an analytical study

Abstract

This thesis, entitled “Imprisonment in Ayman Al-Otoom’s Novel Yaa Sahibai Al-Sijn: An Analytical Study,” examines the representation of imprisonment in one of the most significant works of contemporary Arabic literature. The study investigates imprisonment not merely as physical confinement but as a multidimensional experience encompassing psychological suffering, social isolation, political oppression, and the struggle to preserve human dignity. Drawing upon Ayman Al-Otoom’s own experience of incarceration, the novel presents a powerful literary portrayal of the conflict between freedom and restriction, hope and despair, and resistance and oppression. The study aims to reveal the artistic and humanistic value of prison literature in contemporary Arabic literature, introduce the literary contributions of Ayman Al-Otoom, analyze the thematic and narrative dimensions of Yaa Sahibai Al-Sijn, examine its intertextual features, and investigate the various manifestations of imprisonment depicted in the text. Special attention is given to the role of prison space in shaping the experiences, emotions, and identities of prisoners. To achieve these objectives, the research adopts both historical and descriptive-analytical approaches. The historical method is employed to trace the development of prison literature within the Arabic literary tradition and to examine the political and social circumstances that contributed to its emergence. The descriptive-analytical method is used to analyze the novel’s language, narrative techniques, themes, and artistic structure. The thesis is divided into four main chapters. The first chapter discusses the general features of prison literature, including the concept of imprisonment, the definition and types of prison literature, its intellectual and artistic foundations, and its development in Arabic literature. The second chapter examines the personal and literary life of Ayman Al-Otoom, his major literary works, his contribution to prison literature, and the significance of titles in his novels. The third chapter provides an analytical study of Yaa Sahibai Al-Sijn, focusing on its plot, narrative structure, and intertextual dimensions. The fourth chapter investigates imprisonment in the novel through its political, legal, psychological,physical, human, and national dimensions. The study concludes that imprisonment in Yaa Sahibai Al-Sijn extends beyond physical detention to encompass intellectual suppression, psychological trauma, social marginalization, and systematic violations of human rights. The prison is portrayed as a mechanism of political authority aimed at silencing dissenting voices and undermining personal identity. Nevertheless, the novel presents knowledge, memory, writing, perseverance, and moral conviction as powerful forms of resistance. The findings further demonstrate that Al-Otoom’s personal experience of imprisonment contributes significantly to the realism, authenticity, and emotional depth of the narrative. Furthermore, the research highlights the novel’s artistic achievement through its use of internal monologue, detailed description, intertextual references, and emotionally charged language. The study concludes that Yaa Sahibai Al-Sijn occupies a distinguished position in contemporary Arabic prison literature by transforming an individual prison experience into a broader reflection on freedom, justice, human dignity, and the resilience of the human spirit.