Characters' minds in fiction are considered an applicable means for recognizing the
way minds of real people function., This study employs the attribution theory, the
cognitive narratological approach developed by Palmer (2004, 2007, 2010). This
model proposes that our minds communicate through a minimal level of shared
thoughts or what is called “intermental thought". Via their shared thoughts and
beliefs, characters can form certain types of units which could develop into minds.
This study focuses on the issue of how characters are able to develop intermental
minds with some characters but not with others. Thus, some extracts of Latifa Al-
Zayyat's El Bab El Maftouh (1960) are analysed in order to trace the distinction
between the two cases. Moreover, this study considers the perspective of feminist
narratology, which maintains that characters have the ability to form intermental
minds when their thoughts, beliefs, emotions and dispositions are congruent.