Document Type : علمی- پژوهشی

Authors

1 The tarbiat Modares University. Tehran.Iran

2 Graduated from Tarbiat Modares University. Tehran. Iran

Abstract

Emotional divorce is among the social crises that insidiously threaten the modern family stability. Emotional poverty in marital relationship interferes with the role of the family in providing the family health, and consequently the social health. A few fictional works observe, alongside representing the social events, the emotional divorce. The present paper studies the two family-oriented base on emotional divorce and Literary, Linguistic and Sociological characteristics following an interpretative research method and combining the issues extracted from them. These fictional works including My Bird and The Dream of Tibet (by Fariba Vafi), which have been selected due to their family-oriented nature, their popularity, and the numerous awards they have won. Emotional divorce has been analyzed at the literary level according to the story elements (Subject, Tem, Character, Dialogue, Atmosphere, Conflict). At the linguistic level has been studied and at Sociological level has been identified and studied causes and consequences of emotional divorce. The studies show that the low level of verbal and emotional relationship, Lack of empathy, feeling lonely, Husband's Failure in Family Commitments are the main factor in causing emotional divorce and the concealment, adaptation, leaving home, Inclination to the opposite sex are the female characters' primary strategies for dealing with emotional divorce.

Highlights

A Literary Sociology of Fariba Vafi' Works

(Relying on the Grounds of Emotional Divorce)

 

Hasan Zolfagari

Professor of Persian Language and Literature, Tarbiat Modares University

Maryam Moghaddami

PhD in Persian Language and Literature, Tarbiat Modares University

Abstract

Emotional divorce is among the social crises that insidiously threaten the modern family stability. Emotional poverty in marital relationship interferes with the role of the family in providing the family health, and consequently the social health. A few fictional works observe, alongside representing the social events, the emotional divorce. The present paper studies the two family-oriented stories on the basis of emotional divorce and literary, linguistic and sociological characteristics following an interpretative research method and combining the issues extracted from them. These fictional works include My Bird and The Dream of Tibet (by Fariba Vafi), which have been selected due to their family-oriented nature, their popularity, and the numerous awards they have won. Emotional divorce has been analyzed at the literary level according to the story elements (Subject, Theme, Character, Dialogue, Atmosphere, Conflict). The causes and consequences of emotional divorce have been analyzed at the linguistic level and sociological level. The studies show that the low level of verbal and emotional relationship, lack of empathy, feeling lonely, husband's failure in family commitments are the main factors in causing emotional divorce and the concealment, adaptation, leaving home, inclination to the opposite sex are the female characters' primary strategies for dealing with emotional divorce.

Keywords: Literary and Sociological Study, Persian Fictional Works, Fariba Vafi, Emotional Divorce.

Introduction

Family is the first and the most important social institute which meets the physical, mental, and emotional needs of individuals and prepares them for the vast relationships in the society. Thus, mental crises in this social institute and its main bases, the husband and wife, naturally disturb the foundation of family. Emotional divorce is an insidious problem which is though not recorded in official statistics, it gradually makes the bases of family life instable and can ruin marital life. In emotional divorce, the relationship is based on hatred, and the husband and wife annoy each other with trustlessness, hopelessness, lack of respect and emotional support, and perplexity. Women may develop different strategies to handle the crisis of emotional divorce. The increase of family crises has provided the situation for women-oriented fictional works to speak out about these harms, and by emerging in the discourse, discuss the changes of life style and the family tensions. The present paper seeks to identify the representations of emotional divorce in the literary, linguistics, and sociological structure of women-oriented fictional works. In doing so, two women-oriented Persian fictional works, My Bird and Dream of Tibet, are selected which set their stories within family and focus on the problem of motional divorce. In these works, the female protagonists' social and individual behaviors are studied in the light of family and social conditions. Among the reasons for the selection of these works are the feminine orientation of the works, representation of women as the main characters, the experience of emotional divorce, narration of their stories as taking place within family, popularity among the readers and critics, the rate of republication, and winning different awards.

Research Goals

The present paper attempts to answer the following questions: What are the representations of emotional divorce in the selected works? What are the sociological causes of emotional divorce?

Research Method

This paper is based on analytical method with an interpreting approach focusing on subject analysis and the merging of the elicited meanings from the works. In doing so, two woman-oriented fictional works are selected which set their stories within family and focus on emotional divorce. In these works, the female protagonists' social and individual behaviors are studied in the light of family and social conditions.

Conclusion

One of the social realities reflected in some fictional works is emotional divorce. The present paper seeks to identify the representations of emotional divorce in the literary, linguistic, and sociological structure of Iranian women-oriented fictional works. In doing so, two Iranian women-oriented fictional works by Fariba Vafi, My Bird and Dream of Tibet, are selected, which set their stories within family and revolves around the problem of emotional divorce. In these works, the female protagonists' individual and social behaviors are studied. The findings show that emotional divorce is lucidly reflected in the literary and fictional levels, namely in subject, theme, character, dialogue, atmosphere, and conflict. The fictional characters' different and sometimes opposing views of such issues as marriage and family evident in the dialogues lead to the emergence and permanence of emotional divorce. The atmosphere of the works also indicates a lack of affection in marital relationships. Through mental conflicts, the characters come to oppose marriage and starting a family. The lack of affectionate dialogue is the most important cause of emotional divorce. Against emotional divorce, female characters use such strategies as concealment, adaptation to the situation, leaving home, and developing a relationship with the other gender. In this regard, the writers of fictional works can create the works which offer strategies to strengthen the position of marriage and family. Developing the skills in affectionate relationship and increasing the husband and wife's knowledge of each other's spirits bring happiness to the family and help the family members to observe each other's natural rights. 

 

 

Some References

-Abbott. P. & Wallace. C. (2001). An introduction to sociology: feminist perspectives. Translator: Najme Araghi. M. Press. Tehran: Ney.

-Bastani. S. Golzari. M. & Rowshani. Sh. (2010). Causes and Intervening Conditions of Emotional Divorce. The Journal of Social Problems. PP: 1-20.

-Mirsadeghi. M. (1988). Story elements. Press. Tehran:Shefa.

- Sarokhani. B. (2014). Introduction to Family Sociology. Press. Tehran: Soroush.

-Shamisa. S. (1991).Literary types.Press. Tehran: Baghayeneh.

-Vafi. F. (2013). My Bird. Press. Tehran: Markaz.

-Vafi. F. (2015).The Dream of Tibet. Press. Tehran: Markaz

-Younesi. A. (1986).The art of storytelling.Press. Tehran: Suhrawardi.

Keywords

Main Subjects

Abbott. P. & Wallace. C. (2001). An introduction to sociology: feminist perspectives. Translator: Najme Araghi. M. Press. Tehran: Ney.
-Bastani. S. Golzari. M. & Rowshani. Sh. (2010). Causes and Intervening Conditions of Emotional Divorce. The Journal of Social Problems. PP: 1-20.
-Mirsadeghi. M. (1988). Story elements. Press. Tehran:Shefa.
- Sarokhani. B. (2014). Introduction to Family Sociology. Press. Tehran: Soroush.
-Shamisa. S. (1991).Literary types.Press. Tehran: Baghayeneh.
-Vafi. F. (2013). My Bird. Press. Tehran: Markaz.
-Vafi. F. (2015).The Dream of Tibet. Press. Tehran: Markaz
-Younesi. A. (1986).The art of storytelling.Press. Tehran: Suhrawardi.