The concept of others in Ghafoory's "Sa’ada's Braids"

الملخص EN

Title: The Concept of others in Alghafor/s Sa’ada's Braids This research aims at studying the concept of others in Alghafory's Sa’ada's Braids, a novel written in 2014.

The novel investigates tlie situation of people in Sa’acla, a city in the northern part of Yemen.

A group of people call themselves the masters are ruling the city availing from the absence of the government there and they start using religion as a propaganda to protect their presence and rule over the city.

The masters impose their ideology and religious beliefs oh the local community.

Consequently, this creates a kind of misunderstanding ainone otlier people.

The masters believe that they are the only people who Have the rights to rule and consider the rest as outsiders “the others”, hi fact, the masters misunderstand their real attitude and this leads to a kind of misconception of many facets of life such as religion, social roles and codes of conduct, and as a result a concept such as “the others” is formed.

Thus, the concept of others refers to people of the same religion and nationality but because there is a kina of religious misconception, they have become enemies: the rulers and the others.

The others’ attitude’ towards religion does not happen to be in the same circle of the masters’ faith.

The masters have many flaws that cause all this kind of misunderstanding among people of the same race.

The use of symbols, setting, language, allusions and behavior will be analysed to support the novefist’s main theme that humanity cannot be established easily if people ignore each other.

How religion is utilized in Sa’ada is also highlighted and as a result, people are distracted from the reality of life and they have formed the concept of others.

Finally, because of this misconception and the forming of the others, people are deluded from the reality and divided into small ethnic groups killing each other.

As a result, their identity is lost and they have Become unknown.

They have secluded themselves in a small area' being afraid of the influence of the "others" who are considered untouchable and should be rejected and fought.