Intertextual palimpsests in Hamida Chenoufi's Novel "The End or Wind of the North"

Abstract

This academic exploration aims to delve into a distinctive phenomenon within Algerian literature, particularly manifested in the novel "The End or North Wind" by Hamida Chenoufi, namely the phenomenon of intertextual palimpsest. This study recognizes the novel as a sophisticated literary creation, embodying the principles of secondary writing, where it derives inspiration, themes, and structural elements from a pre-existing text, specifically Abdul Hamid bin Hadduqa's "The South Wind." Chenoufi skillfully engages in a dialogue with the original text, expertly reworking and transforming its narrative and content structures. The result is a new literary work that retains its unique identity and artistic integrity, despite its strong connection to its precursor. This concept of intertextual palimpsest echoes the trajectory of literary theory from Bakhtin's dialogue to Kristeva's intertextuality, and eventually to Genette's concept of palimpsest. In this context, the traces of the previous text, "The South Wind," resurface within "The End or North Wind" through intertextual and inscriptive mechanisms. This exemplifies Chenoufi's profound literary acumen and artistic finesse in meticulously crafting a creative and distinguished text, knitting and embroidering its content and aesthetics. The process of palimpsesting becomes evident in various facets, including narrative structure (characters, setting, time, dialogue), as well as in thematic elements, language, and a diverse array of literary, cultural, religious, political, and societal references. This study seeks to illuminate and dissect these manifestations, shedding light on the nuanced layers of intertextual palimpsesting that enrich the novel's tapestry.