Fiction of Modern Iran

Analytical Essay # 9990

English > Analysis
Ethnic Studies > Middle East
History > Middle Eastern

An analysis of the novel, "Savushun" by Iranian author Simin Daneshvar.

2,858 words () | 1 source | 2001 United States

Paper Summary:

This essay cites and discusses various concepts as well as representations of the "self" throughout Simin Daneshvar's novel "Savushun", which depicts the life of a Persian family in the city of Shiraz, Iran, during the Second World War. Aside from providing an overview of the way a traditional Iranian family functions, the paper also provides an overview of how the traditional people of modern Iran cope with the socio-political issues that they are confronted with.

From the Paper:

"In Simin Daneshvar's novel, the narrator of the novel, Zari, is the wife of an upper class landlord named Yusof. Despite the fact that she is a woman in a traditional Muslim society, she dares to question the morals, traditions, and actions of her society. Yusof hates the interference by the West in the government and the fact that the peasants of his country are exploited. Zari is very attached to her culture and her family, and very supportive of her husband's views. Early in the novel, although Zari questions the actions of her society, she never actually vocalizes her views. This is mostly due to the fact that she would rather avoid confrontations."