The Icons in the Story of Al-Zill Al-Ari [The Naked Shadow] A Semiotic Study

Abstract

This paper aims to present a semiotic reading of the Icon in the story of Al-Zill Al-Ari [The Naked Shadow] by the Yemeni short story writer and novelist Mohammed Al-Gharbi Imran. This paper is grounded in the critical semiotic approach to seeks to reveal the meaning of the Icons represented in the story by tracing the process of signification and the dynamics of importance within the story discourse. The study explores the implications of the Icons to produce general significance and to embody them in the context of the story discourse where its elements intermingle to reveal close and far meanings. The story of Al-Zill Al-Ari revolves around the character Alwan, who strives for a better life for himself. Still, he faces several obstacles that prevented him from fulfilling his aspirations.The story has an implicit criticism of the situation in Yemen. The writer implicitly criticizes the economic, social, and political life in Yemen. The study aims to highlight the importance of the Icon and the semiotic analysis of the literary texts.