Analysis of the Main Female Characters in Shahrnosh Parsipoor's Novel “The Dog and the Long Winter

Heidari, Mahmood; Khoubanian, Mina

doi:10.22059/jalit.2023.330317.612447

Analysis of the Main Female Characters in Shahrnosh Parsipoor's Novel “The Dog and the Long Winter" and Fatemeh Yousef Al-Ali's Novel "Faces in the Crowd” Based on the Symbolic Interaction Theory

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Mahmood Heidari ¹

mina khoubanian ²

¹ Department of Arabic Language and Literature, Yasuoj University, Yasuoj, Iran.

² Yasouj Uni. Iran

https://doi.org/10.22059/jalit.2023.330317.612447

Abstract

Symbolic interaction theory studies the activities of persons in dealing with social phenomena. One of the main themes of this theory is the study of personality development on the basis of individual actions. The founders of this theory believed that behavioral analysis should be based on "social action" because the personality of the individual or himself is formed in communication with society. Based on this theory, the present article divided the personality of women, their dynamics, and gender roles in fictional literature. To reach this purpose, the four components of self-concept, behavioral Characteristics, connection patterns, and Position in the hierarchy of power were used to analyze the main characters in two novels. The research adopted the method of qualitative content analysis with a comparative approach to the societies of Iran and Kuwait and the units of analysis are two novels by Shahrnoush Parsipoor (The Dog and the Long Winter) and Fatima Yousef Al-Ali (Faces in the crowd). To this end, the feminist characters in these stories are divided into three character groups: traditional, transitional, and modern women to analyze women's actions on the basis of the roles they play in society. The results of the study show that the two main characters in these two novels belong to the group of modern women according to the mentioned components. They refuse to accept sexual suitability in society and seek to redefine sexuality and all concepts related to it. These fictional and inspiring characters also see themselves as capable women who use their abilities to achieve the ideal of equality and the realization of their rights. They have characteristics such as: non-functional, tradition-breaking, sexually active, brave, etc., and follow a set of female and male communication patterns. According to this study, women who do not have purely feminine characteristics or follow communication patterns and consider themselves to be personal are in the group of modern women

Keywords

Shahrnoush Parsipoor

Fatima Yusuf Al-Ali

gender roles

symbolic interaction theory

Subjects

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