French-Iranian Correspondences On the Other Side as an Epistolary Novel

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

• Maryam Mehdizadeh ¹
• Samira Bameshki ²
• Zohreh Taebi Noghandari ³

¹ دانشجوی دکتری زبان و ادبیات فارسی دانشگاه فردوسی مشهد.

² استادیار زبان و ادبیات فارسی دانشگاه فردوسی مشهد

³ Assistant Professor of English Language & Literature, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad

10.22067/rltf.2024.87059.1107

Abstract

In Persian literature, On the Other Side of the Wal,l written by M.A Behazin in 1972, is narrated in the style of epistolary novel. The present study traces the components of the epistolary novel and how they are used in the mentioned novel with a descriptive-analytic approach. The purpose of the present research is to investigate the innovative and effective functions of Behazin’s narrative techniques, focusing on his method of narration through the exchange of letters between the two main characters of this novel. The findings show that the author, with this special way of narration, simultaneously provides a platform for retelling historical, political, and social events during the World War II, reproducing a documentary story with a critical attitude. Additionally, the immediacy of knowing the characters allows the readers to hear the voices of both principal characters vividly and simultaneously, without the intervention of the author. Since, in this style of novel, two characters write letters to reveal their state of mind, multiple focalizations express the events from the viewpoints of both characters. Furthermore, suspense artistically enriches the story through the writing letters. Letters create possible worlds, worlds that are made up of the beliefs, desires, goals, dreams, illusions and imaginations of the characters. Using the method of narration through letters that can be written and read explicitly allows the author to express social -political issues, critiquing not only the society at the time of Second World War but also his contemporary society.

Keywords

• Epistolary Noel
• On the Other Side of the Wall
• M.A Behazin
• Functions
• Iran
• France

Main Subjects

• french literature

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