Abstract

Statement of the Problem and Objective: Among postmodern Arabic novels, Bir al-Hirman, written by the Egyptian psychiatrist and author Ihsan Abdel Quddous in the first person, offers a critique of the conditions governing Arab countries, particularly the traditional patriarchal milieu of Egypt. The author strives to express his distress at these realities through both the content of the novel and the creation of its characters. The novel centers on a girl named Nahed and her stepfather Mohammad Fakhr al-Din, both of whom suffer from various psychological complexes rooted in their past. Nahed’s engagement in sexual relationships with strangers leads to the revelation of her shame and compels her family—who once loved her—to abandon her. Mohammad Fakhr al-Din, driven by events from his past with his wife, is motivated to seek vengeance. These two characters, more than others in the novel, continually struggle to cope with their problems, thereby activating their schemas. Researchers found that many of the events that effect the characters of the novel Bir al-Hirman stem from Jeffrey Young’s schema therapy theory. Studies indicate that the roots of the psychological problems suffered by  Nahed and the Mother-in-law are rooted in their past. This prompted researchers to explore for the schemas of the two main characters in the novel, namely Nahed and Mohammed Fakhr al-Din, and the factors that influence their behaviors, as well as their efforts to escape the maladaptive schemas by resorting to the adaptive ones.
Methodology: This descriptive-analytic study examines a particular perspective on the Arab world, especially Egyptian society, and its impact on the neurotic characters of Nahed and Mohammad Fakhr al-Din, as well as the factors shaping their schemas. It reveals the conditional schema present in each of the characters and critically analyzes them with supporting examples. Through a psychoanalytic lens, the study enables readers to explore the characters’ minds and examine their conditional schemas in light of Young’s theory.
Discussion and Analysis: Among the various conditional schemas identified, Nahed suffers from Emotional Inhibition and Obedience, while her stepfather Mohammed Fakhr al-Din suffers from Self-Sacrifice and Harsh Standards. Given that the family environment and the milieu in which a child grows up play a crucial role in the formation of early maladaptive schemas, it can be argued that Nahed experiences a world of “rejection and abandonment” from two directions: first, the neglect shown by her stepfather toward her mother; and second, her romantic relationship with her classmate, Hashim. This domain includes early, maladaptive schemas of emotional deprivation, defectiveness, and shame, into which Nahed has fallen. She attempts to escape these schemas through the conditional schema of subjugation. Initially, she adopts an accommodating coping style, and later resorts to overcompensation to cope with her schemas. Another factor contributing to the emergence of maladaptive schemas in Mohammad Fakhr al-Din is the failure to satisfy emotional needs such as security, stability, love, and acceptance in his relationship with his wife. Of Young’s five major schema domains, the second domain, Impaired Autonomy and Performance, is more prominent in the stepfather’s character. This domain manifests as dependence, underdeveloped self, vulnerability, and failure, ultimately producing a personality governed by an excessively critical schema that continually reproaches his wife for past mistakes.
Findings: The results of this study indicate that the two characters under examination, Nahed and Mohammad Fakhr al-Din, suffer from the following types of maladaptive schemas: emotional inhibition, subjugation, self-sacrifice, and unrelenting standards. Although Nahed received special attention in childhood from her stepfather, she perceived a lack of affection on his part toward her mother, the impact of which on her unconscious mind led to the development of psychological complexes. Consequently, Nahed attempted to direct these complexes either toward hatred of her father or toward hatred of the man she believed was her father. However, the love and affection she received from her stepfather left no room for such hatred, causing these complexes to remain hidden. Over time, and with the increasing intensity of her complexes, Nahed embarked on a dangerous path. She deeply feared facing a fate similar to her mother’s, yet she was unable to confront or consciously acknowledge this fear. Therefore, the fear remained suppressed in her unconscious, shaping her secondary personality. As this personality strengthened, her external and conscious self weakened. She would occasionally slip into a coma-like state and become consumed by an obsessive emotional relationship, to the extent that she surrenders herself to any man who crossed her path, either to escape deprivation or to compensate for the deprivation endured by her mother. As for Mohammad Fakhr al-Din, spent considerable resources on raising and caring for Nahed, and he was more than a father figure to her. This behavior stemmed from his guilt over the wrongs he had committed against his wife. Therefore, to escape the torments of his conscience that weighed upon him, he resorted to excessive acts of self-sacrifice.