Al-Irfan: Journal Of Arabic Literature and Islamic Studies
Vol. 9 No. 2 (2026): Articles in Press

Signs of Conflict: A Peircean Semiotic Study of Ja’far in Qalbu al-Lail

R. Zamzami Aulia (Universitas Islam Negeri Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung)
Rohanda Rohanda (Universitas Islam Negeri Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung)
Wildan Taufiq (Universitas Islam Negeri Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung)



Article Info

Publish Date
10 Aug 2026

Abstract

This study aims to describe the portrayal of Ja 'far's internal conflict in Naguib Mahfouz's novel Qalbu Al-Lail through a semiotic analysis guided by Charles Sanders Pierce's framework and supplemented by Sigmund Freud's psychoanalytic theory. Ja' far's conflict is manifested through dialogue, actions, and symbols that reflect his struggle between personal desires, moral values, personal convictions, and familial expectations during the process of identity formation. The research employs a qualitative descriptive methodology; data sources include the novel Qalbu Al-Lail, with specific materials comprising dialogue excerpts, character behaviors, narrative elements, and symbols related to Ja' far's inner conflicts. Data were collected via literature review, reading analysis, and note-taking techniques. Analysis was conducted using Charles Sanders Pierce's semiotic model—including representation, object, and interpreter—and further enriched by Sigmund Freud's concepts of the id, ego, and superego. The research findings indicate that Ja 'far's inner conflict is portrayed as a tension between his desires, moral principles, and the realities of life, which gives rise to a crisis of identity. This study is expected to enrich the study of Arabic literature, particularly by integrating Pierce's semiotics with Freudian psychoanalytic theory to elucidate the meaning of the character's conflicts.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

alirfan

Publisher

Subject

Religion Education Languange, Linguistic, Communication & Media Law, Crime, Criminology & Criminal Justice Other

Description

Al-Irfan is a journal of Arabic Literature and Islamic Studies which is published Biannually on March and September by Arabic Literature Department, Sekolah Tinggi Agama Islam Darul Ulum Banyuanyar, Pamekasan. The journal covers language issues researched in the branches of applied linguistics, such ...