The Thematic Value of Animality: Human Anguish and Bestialization in Abulhawa’s “Against the Loveless World” and Jarrar’s “The Story of My Building”

This paper investigates the thematic value of animality in Susan Abulhawa's “Against the Loveless World” and Randa Jarrar's “The Story of My Building,” focusing on its critical role in contemporary Arab Anglophone literature. Drawing on ecocritical and posthumanist frameworks, the study explores how animality mediates human anguish, bestialization, and the symbolic representation of resistance, identity, and the environment. Abulhawa's expansive narrative, set against a backdrop of political turmoil, depicts emotional landscapes shaped by war and displacement. Conversely, Jarrar's concise narrative examines the entanglement of urban life with animal imagery. Both authors employ animality to critique societal norms, interrogate power dynamics, and deepen our understanding of the human condition. Situated within the broader scope of Palestinian literature, this analysis reveals how animality intertwines with ecology, cultural identity, and resilience, reflecting the lived experiences of individuals in conflict zones. By examining these intersections, the study highlights the transformative power of literature in addressing the human-animal dynamic and its relevance to cultural and environmental.