الإصدار 6 - العدد 17 (2026-08-20)

Symbolic Dimensions of Colors in the Novel the White Hell

Researcher: Biryar Kamal Omar

Department of Kurdish Language - College of Languages - Nawroz University -Kurdistan Region – Iraq

The purpose of the present study is to critically look into symbolism of colour and its role in the narration in The White Hell by the Kurdish novelist Hasan Ibrahim. Chromatic conventions are not just decorative elements; they are complex symbolic systems that communicate psychological states, existential tensions, and socio-political dynamics. The White Hell is analyzed with a qualitative descriptive analytic methodology in order to expose the context of the main colors white, black, red, yellow, green and blue. The importance of description of the color of this structure is very significant, and at the same time opposite to the naming, as a white color, although it is a symbol of cleanliness and clarity, here it is a symbol of selfhood, displacement and loss. Black is a symbol of losing weight and keeping the displacement. Red represents physical violence, cruelty and it makes life difficult for the person or people. Yellow represents sadness, physical violence and a wrong image. Green represents political failure and failed collective dreams, while blue represents alienation from and repatriation to the homeland. This study argues that the signification of colours can be seen as an integral structural framework in The White Hell and that colours serve as key visual index documents that help to interpret the symbolic geography of the text, as the visual is a postmodern way of understanding the Kurdish collective trauma, history and human condition.