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AWEJ for Translation & Literary Studies, Volume3, Number4. October 2019                                    Pp.175-188

A Deconstructive  Reading of William Golding ‘s  Lord of the Flies for EFL Learners in the Saudi Context

Usman Shah

Department of English, College of Education, Majmaah University
Majmaah, Saudi Arabia

Majed  O.  Abahussain

Department of English, College of Education, Majmaah University
Majmaah, Saudi Arabia

Abstract:

Abstract PDF

Comprehending words and expressions in the English language is a critical challenge for English as a foreign language (EFL) learners in the Saudi context given the enigmatic nature of the language and ambiguity of texts with multifaceted interpretations. Focusing on the use of Jacques Derrida’s deconstruction approach, William Golding’s “Lord of the Flies” was analysed in terms of characterisations, themes, and textual structure to explore how a deconstructive reading influences the interpretation of this post-world war English novel and the implications and challenges of applying deconstructive textual analysis among EFL learners in the classroom. This qualitative study was purely descriptive that employed purposive and convenience sampling techniques for the selection of the texts, where the novel and the researcher served as the key instruments. In particular, the deconstructive reading procedure, advantages and challenges of deconstructive reading for the EFL learners, and multifaceted interpretations of the novel were discussed in this study. Through a deconstructive reading, the EFL learners play an active role in deconstructing the meanings of texts based on their own interpretation and understanding, which can indirectly enhance their interest in language and improve their critical thinking skills. Expectedly, this study would spark interest and appreciation to the concept of deconstruction as well as other prominent literary works, particularly William Golding’s allegory debut novel. In order to discover the various dimensions of meanings in literature, it is recommended for future research to comprehensively explore the novel in detail and conduct deconstructive analysis on prominent speeches and characters in play.

Cite as:

Shah, U., & Abahussain, M. O.  (2019). A Deconstructive  Reading of William Golding ‘s  ‘‘Lord of the Flies’’ for EFL Learners in the Saudi Context. Arab World English Journal for Translation & Literary Studies3 (4)175-188.

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Usman Shah is currently a lecturer at Majmaah University in Saudi Arabia. His research and
publication interests include linguistics and literary studies. He is also a PhD candidate at the
University of Malaysia Terengganu (UMT), where he furthers his research on Applied Linguistics.
He is the author of a research paper currently published at the University of Chitral under the title:
”Investigating EFL learners’ Attitudes towards Using ”Padlet” a digital web-tool in Reading Class”.

Majed Othman Abahussain is an experienced assistant professor with a demonstrated history of
working in the higher education industry. He shows professional expertise in TESOL, Curriculum
Development, Public Speaking, Research, and Management. He has strong education with a
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in TESOL from University of Stirling. Recently, he works as the dean
of the college of Education at Majmaah University in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.