The Contrast between Dystopia & Protopia in Ghada al-Samman’s Works

Human avarice and the devastating consequences of ruinous wars in the 20th century made it impossible for writers to embody utopia or its realization. As human problems grew more complex, this literature was overshadowed by pessimism, its tone becoming increasingly poignant and steering literary works toward dystopian themes. The challenge of realizing utopia and the responsibility of literature led writers to embrace the concept of “Protopia.” “Protopia” is a society that maintains hope for continuous improvement across generations, despite numerous problems. Ghada al-Samman, a contemporary Syrian novelist influenced by the chaotic conditions in Arab countries, eloquently portrays the gloom of her society. Using a descriptive-analytical approach, this essay explores the factors contributing to the genesis of dystopia and its characteristics within the writer’s worldview, as well as her hopeful vision of a protopia. The findings suggest that Ghada al-Samman envisions a promising protopia for her audience, despite the dystopian atmosphere and the focus on the causes behind the emergence of a corrupt city, superstitious beliefs, and the isolation of open-minded individuals. Al-Samman’s protopia is attainable through unity, effort, and resistance against both domestic and international adversaries, even though the path to utopia may be long.
Introduction
In the new era, as the problems facing human societies have intensified, a kind of urban anti-utopian atmosphere has emerged in the works of contemporary writers. Gradually, the hope of achieving utopia has disappeared from these works. However, the purpose of literature (providing hope) remains intact. Consequently, writers have developed a new concept known as “Protopia.”
Protopia is a city that, despite numerous challenges, sustains hope for improvement across generations. Ghada Al-Samman, a contemporary Syrian novelist influenced by the turbulent political, social, and cultural conditions in Arab countries, vividly depicts the darkness of her society. This essay, employing a descriptive-analytical approach, explores the factors contributing to the emergence and characteristics of dystopia within the ideological framework, alongside the hopeful vision of Protopia in the author's mind.
Materials & Methods
Using a descriptive-analytical method and relying on library sources, this paper aims to explore the author's approaches to resolving chaotic situations by analyzing the dystopian elements in Ghadah Al-Samman’s novel. It also seeks to identify ways to address these problems and transition from a corrupt society to a healthier one.
Results & Discussion
By examining the social, political, and cultural factors that contribute to the collapse of dystopias in the writer’s works, we will explore the vision of the future society of Arab countries as presented by Ghada Al-Samman. Our goal is to determine whether this vision of humanity’s future, as depicted by Al-Samman, is utopian or protopian. The results suggest that Ghadah Al-Samman presents a hopeful protopia to her audience, despite the prevailing anti-utopian atmosphere in her stories. She addresses the causes behind the creation of the corrupt city, including war, defeat, oppression, betrayal, corruption, poverty, superstitious beliefs, and the isolation of intellectuals. The mental protopia envisioned by Al-Samman can be achieved through unity, effort, and resistance against both domestic and foreign enemies, although it remains distant from utopia.
Conclusion
Ghada Al-Samman's works, whether poetry or prose, reflect the harsh realities of contemporary Arab societies. In her stories, Ghada portrays the bleak and tragic conditions of these countries following the devastating defeat by Israel and the civil wars in Lebanon.
The dystopian atmosphere in her works is deeply influenced by this defeat and its impact on the souls and bodies of the people. To overcome this darkness, she depicts a protopia—a city where people take small steps toward freedom and prosperity each day.
In the life-and-death struggles depicted in Al-Samman's works, life always triumphs over death. The return of intellectuals to their homeland to continue the fight, along with the growing awareness among the people—especially the youth—to confront both foreign enemies and domestic adversaries such as the noble class and ruthless rulers, marks the beginning of a struggle that intensifies daily. This is a growing trend in which Al-Samman firmly believes.