The Algerian Novelistic Discourse from the Perspective of Reception Theory: The Novel "The Fish Does Not Care" as a Model

Abstract

The Algerian novelistic discourse represents a fertile field for the manifestation of transformations in identity and reality. Approaching it from the perspective of Reception Theory reveals dimensions related to the dynamics of meaning production through the interaction between text and reader. This theory places the recipient at the center of the interpretive process, through their horizon of expectations and their ability to fill textual gaps and reconstruct meaning.
Based on this premise, the present study adopts the novel "The Fish Does Not Care" by Inam Bayoud as an applied model, aiming to uncover the narrative strategies that provoke the reader and encourage their participation in constructing meaning. It thus raises the following questions: How does the perspective of Reception Theory contribute to reading Algerian novelistic discourse? And to what extent does the novel succeed in reshaping the reader’s horizon of expectations?