Manifestations of Identity Enhancement and Heritage Documentation in the Novel "Shawwal Riyadh" by Hamad Al-Rashidi "Cultural Approach"

Abstract

This study presents a cultural approach to the narrative achievement of "Shawwal Riyadh" by the Saudi author Hamad Al-Rashidi. The novel is attributed to what is known as "historical fiction" and explores the life of King Abdul aziz bin Abdul Rahman Al Saud, may he rest in peace, the founder of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It delves into his continuous and extensive struggle to reclaim the rule of his ancestors and the opening Riyadh.The cultural approach in the novel "Shawwal Riyadh" is realized in its relationship with history. It is simultaneously close and distant in time, both historically accurate and historically projected to overall similarity. From here, this reading of the novel "Shawwal Riyadh" begins, relying on the concept of cultural structure and starting through a methodological entry to investigate one of the most important Saudi narratives that imaginatively documented the history of the "Opening of Riyadh" in modern times. The study moves beyond expressing aesthetic and creative sentiments to embody cultural elements expressing political and social representations. The novel "Shawwal Riyadh" has succeeded in documenting Saudi cultural patterns, whether explicitly or implicitly. It establishes a national heritage by promoting a sense of belonging to the homeland and defining the customs and traditions that constitute Saudi identity.