Authority is a mutual relationship between a commanding partner and an obedient one, and it requires legality and respect. The aim of this paper is to expound two different examples of resisting authority as depicted in the Bildungsroman of Forster's Where Angels Fear to Tread (1905) and Fathi Ghanem's Al Jabal (1958). The Bildungsroman is a novel that traces how the protagonist struggles to achieve maturity. He usually makes a journey within the events of the novel, and that journey proves to be a journey of self- learning and recognizing the right role in life. The study is a critical analysis of the development of the protagonists in both novels and tackles the authority resistance in them. In addition, it elucidates the meaning of authority and its kinds, as well as the definition of the Bildungsroman and its features.
The different narrative techniques used by both writers to trace the gradual development of the protagonists are also examined. The two prominent narrative techniques used here are the epiphany and the flashback techniques. The study concludes that both authors were successful in depicting the effective experiences of the protagonists. Both heroes are sent to achieve a specific mission but they are subjected to impressive cultures and influential people. This hinders them from realizing their missions. However, they become more decisive than before. This helps the protagonists to fight the oppressive maternal authority, as in the case of Philip Herriton, and the routine, official authority, as in the case of Fathi Ghanem.