Power Field Interactions in the Textual Society of The Fig Tree of the Temples by Ahmad Mahmoud : a Discursive Analysis

The attainment of power within a social space necessitates a complex interplay of diverse « capitals» defined within that particular milieu. These « capitals» can encompass both economic and, as posited by the French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu, non-material forms. A pivotal category among these capitals is linguistic one. « Linguistic capital», according to Bourdieu, signifies the skillful deployment of language and the crafting of pertinent and distinctive discourses aimed at influencing social interactions. However, the extent of this influence prompts inquiry: Can « linguistic capital» alone yield an impact deep enough to secure a position of power within a given field or social space? This research seeks to explore this question within the context of the textual society depicted in Ahmad Mahmoud's novel 'The Fig Tree of the Temples'. In this novel, linguistic capital is strategically employed through an religious discourse within the story's « textual society», forming the basis of our investigation. In this paper, we concurrently engage in discourse analysis and sociocriticism to study the roles of discourses in the interactions of characters striving for power within the construct of the textual society of 'The Fig Tree of the Temples'. After having examined the structure of the « textual society» of the novel according to Pierre Bourdieu, we studied the discourses of the characters and their mechanisms using the discourse analysis perspective of French linguist Dominique Maingueneau. In conclusion, we perceive how «linguistic capital» can on its own lead to the attainment of power.