Narrating The Conflict: Analysing Hassan Blasim’s The Corpse Exhibition and Other Stories of Iraq

Abstract: Hassan Blasim’s The Corpse Exhibition and Other Stories of Iraq is a powerful collection of short stories that explores the violence, trauma, and absurdity of war-torn Iraq. This paper examines Blasim’s narrative strategies in representing conflict through a theoretical lens, drawing on narratology concepts outlined by Mieke Bal, Porter Abbott, Seymour Chatman, and others. By analyzing the interplay of fable, story, and text, as well as the role of time, space, and focalization, this study aims to explore how Blasim’s fragmented, surreal, and often metafictional narratives challenge traditional war storytelling and redefine the boundaries of conflict literature. Additionally, the paper investigates the psychological impact of war on narrative structure, emphasizing the ways in which Blasim’s storytelling mirrors the disorientation and instability experienced by individuals in conflict zones. By applying narratological theories to Blasim’s work, this study highlights the deconstruction of conventional linear narratives, reinforcing the notion that war literature is inherently subjective and shaped by memory, trauma, and historical interpretation.