The Water Analogy in Selected Emirati Fiction

A New Intertextual and Stylistic Approach

Abstract

This paper critically examines the stylistic and narrative structures of selected novels and stories by UAE authors through the lens of contemporary intertextuality theories to explore the significance of incorporating water motifs in modern Emirati fiction. The paper argues that contemporary Emirati writers have borrowed various patterns of water-related discourses deeply rooted in popular culture and the local history of the Arabian Gulf region, integrating them into their literary works for thematic and aesthetic purposes. The paper analyzes renowned works such as Shahinda by Rashid Abdullah, The Sword and the Flower and The Trilogy of Love, Water, and Dust by Ali Abu Al-Reesh, The Scent of Ginger by Salha Ghabesh, and On the Edge of Day by Abdul Hamid Ahmad to investigate the sophisticated use of intertextuality in the indigenous maritime literature of the UAE. By employing intertextuality as a literary device, notable Emirati authors use water--in its various forms--as a central motif in their fiction to strengthen national identity, uphold domestic traditions, and reconstruct a heritage jeopardized by modernization and globalization.