Unraveling History in the Contemporary Algerian Novel:

Abstract

This study aims to explore the intersection between history and fiction in the novel "Forty Years in Search of Isabel" by Algerian writer Said Khatibi. The research adopts a theoretical approach that presents the distinctions between history and the novel, and analyzes the experimental novel's techniques in dealing with historical material. The study also seeks to clarify the representations of history within the text by examining the main narrative elements employed in the novel. We observed the significant role of history as narrator within these elements, which raised questions about how historical narrative is utilized in such an innovative novel. Ultimately, the study reaches conclusions that summarize the critical discourse produced in this experimental novel, which opens itself to numerous problematic issues inherent to this genre.