Research Article | Open Access
The Poetics of Silence in Children’s Narrative songs: Suleiman Al-Issa as a Case Study
Ghaniyya Bouhouia
Pages: 671-680
Abstract
Speech and silence go hand in hand; just as the former has its resonance and impact, the latter possesses its depth and interpretation. Silence hints at the hidden elements the writer chooses not to express, for reasons that vary and diverge—ranging from fear and apprehension to provocation and shyness, or as a means of charting a metaphysical path to realize hope across time.Just as silence is directed toward adults, it is also directed toward children of various genders and ages. Therefore, we chose to explore the narrative poems of the Syrian poet Suleiman Al-Issa to uncover instances of his use of silence—whether preceding, interspersed within, or following his songs and chants. Our study is based on the following pillars:
-An overview of children's literature.
-Why does silence appear in children's literature?
-Can children addressed in Al-Issa's poetry—whether Syrian, Algerian, Tunisian, or Palestinian—identify the instances of silence and interpret their meanings?
-What are the manifestations of silence in children's narrative songs?
-Are the objectives of this silence diverse, or is there a singular goal behind its use?
Keywords
Children’s literature, Narrative Poems, Silence, Suleiman Al-Issa, themes.