Examining the Subject of “objectivity” in Autobiography of "Al-Ayyam" Based on "Georges May" Theory

Al-Ayyam" is the autobiography of Taha Hussein, the contemporary Egyptian scholar, in which he has narrated his childhood and adolescence. Realism, or in other words, the objective and real account of events, is among the most important and difficult topics in writing autobiographies. The French critic George May has attempted to define the nature, dimensions and boundaries of this type of literature in his book "Writing Autobiography" and to explore issues such as the author's motivation for writing a biography and the writing process. Explaining these two subjects in autobiographies can largely determine the author's level of realism in recording historical facts. Based on the framework set by George May for autobiographies, this paper seeks to describe the realities of "Al-Ayyam" in a descriptive-analytical manner, including descriptions presented by Taha Hussein of his and others' childhood, examining the events that occurred and explaining the author's commitment to stating the facts. The results of this research show that Taha Hussein's account of characters and historical events of "Al-Ayyam" has been influenced by his incentive and the way he deals with memories of the past. At the same time, the literary value of this famous work is not due to the reflection of historical facts but because of author's mental realities that make him passive in the face of the past.