http://dspace.univ-mascara.dz:8080/jspui/handle/123456789/28 2026-04-03T15:03:26Z http://dspace.univ-mascara.dz:8080/jspui/handle/123456789/1327 Titre: Postmodernism, Consumerism, and the Construction of Identity in American Fiction: Bret Easton Ellis' American Psycho (1991) and Douglas Coupland's Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture (1991) Auteur(s): CHABIRA, Hanane Résumé: This dissertation conducts an in-depth exploration into the emergence of postmodern consumer culture in America, examining the powerful role of media and advertising as tools wielded by production companies to manipulate society towards hyper-consumption. Crucially, this research expands upon elements that remain underexplored in previous studies, placing particular emphasis on the complex dynamic of consumers in perpetuating the proliferation of consumption-driven lifestyles. In order to provide a comprehensive analysis, the dissertation draws upon the captivating narratives presented in American Psycho (1991) by Bret Easton Ellis and Douglas Coupland’s Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture (1991), as both novels depict the emotional turmoil, confusing social landscapes, and identity crisis that encapsulated consumer society in the 1980s and 1990s. Specifically, the investigation elucidates that whereas American Psycho exemplifies an extreme manifestation of materialistic overindulgence and the disintegration of identity, Generation X emphasises a resistance to consumer-oriented paradigms through the mechanisms of irony, nostalgia, and the adoption of alternative lifestyle choices. This research brings to light connections between postmodern consumer studies and relevant theoretical frameworks such as the theories of Jean Baudrillard, Karl Marx, Thorstein Veblen, and Fredric Jameson – particularly as they pertain to themes of conformity, alienation, identity (re)construction, and individuality– thus providing a rich understanding of these novels within their specific cultural contexts. The findings highlight the inherent paradox of consumer identity, the concurrent aspiration for individuality alongside a reliance on commodified representations. This research contributes to the ongoing scholarly discourse regarding the cultural and psychological consequences of late capitalism and postmodern consumerism, thereby providing a comprehension of the ways in which literature mirrors and critiques these prevailing dynamics. 2025-11-09T00:00:00Z http://dspace.univ-mascara.dz:8080/jspui/handle/123456789/1303 Titre: Giving Voice to the Villainess: Feminist Revisionist Mythology in Madeline Miller’s Circe (2018) and Rosie Hewlett’s Medusa (2021) Auteur(s): CHABANE, Djihane F.Z Résumé: Mythology transcends time and eras as it keeps getting rewritten, revisited, and rediscovered. Each thread sewn into the complex tapestry of myths further fastens its place in literature and popular culture. Previously a strictly elitist male endeavor, feminist revisionist mythology lays a feminine claim upon the body of myths that have been out of reach for centuries. This study investigates the incorporation of a feminine perspective into Greek myths as a subversive strategy to dismantle androcentric archetypes that define literary and cultural spheres. In so doing, Madeline Miller's Circe (2018) and Rosie Hewlett's Medusa (2021) are explored as novels reclaiming unvoiced villainous women alongside Northrop Frye's and Joseph Campbell's Archetypal theories to investigate their subversive reach. Findings reveal that a feminist view is crucial for breathing fresh air into ancient myths and providing narratives that women can connect with. However, it is crucial for women writers to tread the path of revision carefully lest they reinforce myths rather than deconstruct them. 2025-09-29T00:00:00Z http://dspace.univ-mascara.dz:8080/jspui/handle/123456789/1283 Titre: Teaching Literature at the University Level. Metaphor as an Aesthetic Motivated Device for Understanding the Literary Texts. Case of the University of Saida Auteur(s): ZIADI, Abdelaaziz Résumé: Teaching literature to EFL learners has often been marginalized from EFL classrooms due to its abundance of symbolic patterns, commonly referred to as ‘figures of speech.’ In fact, there may be no literary text devoid of metaphor or any other form of figurative language. However, metaphor presence is minimal in Algerian English as Foreign Language (EFL) literature classrooms. It rarely serves as an integral aesthetic device for understanding literary texts. This study aims to explore the role of metaphor as an aesthetics-motivated device in enhancing the understanding of literary texts among first-year EFL students at the University of Saida, Algeria. The research employs a triangulation of quantitative and qualitative methods for data collection. It includes pre- and post-tests designed to investigate how recognition of and active engagement with metaphors influence students’ understanding of literary texts. Furthermore, a questionnaire was developed for both literature teachers and first-year students. Three teachers in charge of teaching literature in the department were also interviewed to shed light on their views about conceptual fluency. The results obtained from this study are used to propose teaching techniques and strategies that could be integrated into the literature programme at the University of Saida to enhance the teaching of literature. 2025-07-15T00:00:00Z http://dspace.univ-mascara.dz:8080/jspui/handle/123456789/1192 Titre: Cultivating Critical Thinking at the University Level The case of Second Year EFL English Department Students, Laghouat, Algeria Auteur(s): GASMI, Aouataf Résumé: Creating a scenario that attempts to foster critical thinking at the university level is the primary goal of this study. This is why the researcher chose a scenario that examines how well the Reader Response approach (RRA) to literary texts fosters critical thinking skills in EFL university students. Critical thinking has been widely acknowledged as a crucial 21st century skill and as one of the most significant indicators of students' learning quality. It is believed that teaching this ability is crucial for all grade levels. One of the main objectives of higher education is to help students develop their critical thinking skills. Furthermore, literature plays a significant role in the curriculum at every level of language instruction, Literary texts are intended to help pupils develop their critical thinking abilities in addition to their reading comprehension and appreciation of poetical language. Therefore, the current study attempts to determine whether using a different approach to literary texts aids in developing students' critical thinking abilities. For this purpose, a series of research questions and hypotheses have been laid to steer the investigation. The study's subjects are Algerian university students who were randomly assigned to one of two groups—the experimental RRA training group or the control group—and the work is experimental in nature. A correlation analysis has been conducted to examine the critical thinking proficiency of the students. The Cornell Critical Thinking Skills Test (CCTST) and the Nelson Test Dadkhah were given both before and after the experiment. Additionally, both student groups completed an exit test at the conclusion of the study after being asked to interpret a literary text as an admission test. Additionally, participants filled out a pre-experiment questionnaire at the start of the study, and students in the experimental group participated in an interview at the conclusion. The RRA is used to teach literary texts for ten weeks in total during the project. Both test results and questionnaire replies have been compared, with the interview responses taken into consideration. According to the research findings, there is a causal relationship between the proposed scenario (RRA) and the probability that it will significantly improve the critical thinking abilities of the research sample. Teachers and course planners may find the research findings useful in developing a successful EFL literature course. It may be seen as an initial stage in the design of a course for EFL students that helps promote critical skills and self-development. 2025-02-23T00:00:00Z