Mohammad Javad Pourabed

Story elements are the factors that shape it. In contemporary stories, these elements are justifiable based on the story's theme and subject matter. The structure adapts to the nature of the theme, and the elements of each story, considering its content and theme, serve a specific function in addition to providing coherence. The novel "Al-Qaafir" by the Omani author Khaled bin Sulaiman Al-Kindi is built upon such a foundation, as the author uses narrative techniques, particularly character, time, and place, to depict the social and cultural situation of Omani society. The aim of this paper, is to examine the evolution and development of fictional literature in Oman, focusing on the three elements of character, place, and time using a descriptive-analytical method in the novel "Al-Qaafir". The most important findings of this research indicate that the characters in the story are processed in a diverse and elaborate manner, appearing both realistic and distant from clichés. The characterization method in "Al-Qaafir" is based on two common methods: direct and indirect characterization, with the indirect method being used more frequently. Ultimately, the narration of time in this story does not follow the chronological order of events but rather moves from the end to the beginning. But, there are instances of temporal disorientation in the form of flashbacks and flashforwards. Places are analyzed in two types: open and closed.