The Struggle of Identity in Abdo Khal’s Novel Cities That Eat Grass: A Model

Abstract

This study examined the conflict of identity in Abdo Khal’s novel Cities That Eat Grass, considering it a central theme that revealed the transformations of Saudi society in the pre-oil and post-oil periods. It proceeded from the concept of identity as a dynamic construct shaped by social and cultural changes, seeking to uncover the manifestations of this conflict in the structure of characters and the transformations of place. The study adopted the socio-critical approach to reveal the dialectical relationship between the narrative text and social reality. The novel highlighted a sharp conflict between belonging and alienation, as the characters suffered from the fragmentation of their identities due to poverty, hunger, and forced migration, which drove them to adopt alternative identities. The protagonist (Yahya) was considered a model of this conflict, as he lost his familial and social belonging, and his consciousness was shaped under the pressure of estrangement. The crisis of identity was also manifested in the multiplicity of names and titles, the disavowal of the past, as well as the tension between freedom and slavery among some characters. This conflict was not limited to humans, but extended to place; the village transformed from a nurturing space into a repelling one, and the city became a space of alienation and loss of security, revealing a tense dialectical relationship between humans and their surroundings. The study concluded that hunger represented the most prominent factor in the fragmentation and disintegration of identity, and that the novel succeeded in presenting a profound symbolic treatment of this issue, reflecting a troubled social reality. The study also recommended broadening its scope through comparative studies of works that addressed similar societies, thereby contributing to revealing the core aspects of identity conflict and proposing more effective ways to address it critically and literarily.