THE ANALYSİS OF YUSUF IDRİS’S SHORT STORY “THE STOP” The Analysis of Yusuf Idris’s Short Story “The Station”

Abstract

The modern short story, which took shape in the early 19th century in the West, began to develop as a literary genre in Arabic literature at the beginning of the 20th century. Yusuf Idris, regarded as one of the significant representatives of this process, skillfully explored social issues within the short story form through his simple yet profound narrative style. Idris’s short story “The Stop” (“Al-Maqf”) is a remarkable example in this context. Set on a crowded city bus, the story deals with multi-layered themes such as generational conflict, social values, and individual emotions in a straightforward yet impactful language. The events, which unfold within a limited time and space, are narrated from the perspective of an observer narrator. Through the depiction of a young man’s timid attempt to approach a shy girl, the story questions society’s shifting moral perceptions. This study, based on document analysis, is composed of four main sections. The introduction discusses the definition of the short story, its historical development, and its place in Arabic literature. This is followed by an overview of Yusuf Idris’s life, literary character, and understanding of the short story. Subsequently, “The Stop” is analyzed in detail in terms of structural elements such as theme, narrator, time and place, characters, plot, main conflict, language, and style. The study concludes that the story takes place during winter on a city bus, where the setting functions not only as a physical space but also as a symbolic stage for social observation. The events occur within a single day, and the first-person narrator approaches the story both as an observer and as an interpreter. Furthermore, the study highlights that socio-cultural imagery, local motifs, references, and realistic representations of daily life—common features in Arabic short stories—are clearly evident in this text. It is also observed that through this narrative form, authors reflect powerful themes such as the individual’s social position, gender relations, and collective traumas.