Background and Purposes: Psychological criticism, a contemporary approach in literary criticism, seeks to move beyond the surface of a literary text in order to elucidate the intricate relationship between the work and its creator. A pivotal branch within psychological criticism is personality psychology, which focuses on identifying the distinct traits, emotions, motivations, and behavioral determinants of individuals across diverse contexts. Among the numerous theories that have emerged in this domain, Abraham Maslow’s “Hierarchy of Human Needs” theory holds a distinguished place. Maslow, an American humanist psychologist, conceptualized this theory to explain human behavior and motivations through a five-tiered structure of needs: physiological, safety, love/belonging, esteem, and, at the apex, self-actualization. He believed that humans are inherently evolving beings, progressing toward higher states of fulfillment and self-awareness as each successive level of need is met. Maslow’s theory offers a robust framework for analyzing characterological structures within literary texts, thereby illuminating the psychological and spiritual trajectory of fictional characters. Jokha Alharthi, the acclaimed Omani author and recipient of the International Booker Prize, compellingly portrays the Omani individual navigating the tension between tradition and modernity through a psychological lens in her oeuvre, notably in the novel Naranja. This novel, characterized by its polyvocal structure, delineates characters grappling with their material, safety, affective, and existential exigencies, each embodying a distinct phase in the continuum of human development. The present study seeks to elucidate the classification of characters in Naranja within the paradigm of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Furthermore, it aims to demonstrate how Alharthi constructs their internal metamorphosis by representing their deficits, anxieties, and emotional affiliations, thereby showcasing the process of human maturation through the characters’ lived experiences.
.Methodology: This study employs a descriptive-analytical method to conduct a psychological critique of characterization in the novel Naranjeh, drawing on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory. First, Maslow’s theory is outlined, followed by an introduction to the novel Naranjeh and its characters. Subsequently, through a close examination of the characters’ behaviors, actions, and dialogues, the study seeks to identify the ways in which various human needs influence the formation and development of their personalities. To this end, each of the five levels of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is adopted as an analytical framework. Under each level, those characters whose behaviors reflect the prominence of that particular need are analyzed. The analyses are carried out through close textual evidence and a careful examination of the various dimensions of the characters’ personalities.
Results and Discussion: In Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory, lower-level needs that are activated by deprivation are termed deficiency needs, whereas higher-level needs that lead to fulfillment are referred to as growth needs. The relative satisfaction of each level leads to the activation of the next, although no need is ever completely satisfied. In the novel Naranjeh, Jokha Alharthi, focusing on transformations within traditional societies, explores the psychological and emotional layers of her characters and narrates experiences of alienation, love, failure, and reflection on the past. Accordingly, the search for identity and the pursuit of self-actualization come to the fore. The novel offers a psychological portrait of individuals who, in their journey toward growth and fulfillment, engage with different levels of Maslow’s hierarchy. Zuhur oscillates between belonging, love, and self-understanding; her returns to family memories, the tension between dependence and independence, and her movement toward self-actualization reveal this process. Bint Amir and Salman represent a generation that has been unable to secure basic needs such as safety, shelter, and belonging. Bint Amir’s recurring dream of owning a garden symbolizes the aspiration for security and reflects the pressure of physiological needs within the social structure. Sarwar remains at the level of esteem and self-respect, while Kohl, through experiences of love and self-confidence, approaches the threshold of self-actualization. The recollection of memories and his emotional attachments suggest that the mind, under pressure, retreats to emotional refuges. Imran symbolizes an individual who has transcended the lower levels of Maslow’s hierarchy yet remains deprived of emotional and social security; his psyche reveals oscillation between the desire for stability and the fear of loss. Among the secondary characters, Thurayya-due to traditional constraints and two forced marriages-remains, until the onset of postpartum depression, at the boundary between physiological and safety needs. Thereafter, through her love for Salman and a spiritual inclination, she begins to move toward higher levels of the hierarchy. Sheikha (a symbol of affection), the Gypsy woman (a symbol of poverty), and Thomas (a symbol of knowledge), by introducing diverse experiences, enrich the collective dimension of confronting human needs and illustrate how individuals within the novel’s society, through a combination of deficiency and growth needs, move toward fulfillment.
Conclusion: According to Maslow’s theory, the behavior and actions of each character in the novel Naranjeh can be interpreted as an attempt to satisfy one of the five levels of human needs. With psychological subtlety, Jokha Alharthi portrays the intellectual and emotional layers of her characters and their mental returns to memories and fundamental desires; the narrative thus reveals an inner trajectory of needs that sometimes emerges in the silence of the mind and at other times in the interplay of multiple voices. Through the use of symbolic language, a coherent narrative structure, and techniques such as flashbacks, interior monologues, polyphony, character contrasts, and symbolism, the author depicts the gradual progression of human growth and awareness from basic needs to the pinnacle of self‑actualization. By allowing space for the flow of the characters’ thoughts and juxtaposing different voices, the narrative elevates experience from an individual level to a form of social resonance and confrontation, ultimately presenting a multilayered and nuanced portrayal of human development and the search for meaning and identity.