The paper analyzises the effects of diasporic, postmodern and gender based voice in the novel "Children of the Jacaranda Tree" from Sahar Delijani. Sahar Delijani an Iranian author whose debut novel, Children of the Jacaranda Tree, is a novel which reflects a female writer’s voice out of her country which symbolically presents a diasporic, gender based voice. This voice has been raised out of her homeland (abroad, in USA and Italy) and tries to reflect her voice in her second language with a globalized view based on her natural feminist and cultural background. Her novel is a political protest but here we just want to analyze the effect of its diasporic, postmodern and gender based narration of globalized world of literature.
In spite of a rich trove of classical works (mainly poems), modern Iranian literature is less than a hundred years old. If we consider the works of Sadegh Hedayat (1903-1951) in fiction and Nima Yushij (1895-1960) in poetry as the beginning of Iran's modern literature, then we can discern two influential factors in its development. First, there is a certain level of familiarity and interaction with the latest intellectual trends and literary achievements of the West. Second, a political openness at home, which brings about a suitable atmosphere for exchange of ideas and publication of new voices.
Table of Contents
1. Globalized Gendered Based Diaspora of Postmodern Iranian Novels: Case Study of Sahar Delijani’s Children of the Jacaranda Tree
Research Objectives and Themes
The research aims to analyze the intersection of diasporic identity, postmodern narrative techniques, and gender-based experiences within Sahar Delijani’s novel "Children of the Jacaranda Tree," exploring how the author reflects a feminine voice from abroad to articulate themes of displacement, memory, and political protest.
- Analysis of diasporic and postmodern narrative structures
- Exploration of gendered perspectives in Iranian literature
- Symbolism and the role of cultural and nostalgic elements
- The impact of exile on individual and collective identity
- Interaction between local Iranian history and global literary perspectives
Excerpt from the Book
Opening of the every novel and story is a great window that shows ideas and attitudes that are dominant in that story. Analyzing of its words one by one can lead to a great and better understanding about the narratology and writer’s aim:
Azar sat on the corrugated iron floor of a van huddled against the wall. The undulating street made the car sways from side to side, swinging her way and that. With her free hand, she clasped on to something that felt like a railing. The other hand lay on her hard, bulging belly, which contracted and strained, making her breathing choppy, irregular. A heat wave of pain spouted from somewhere in her backbone and burst through her body. Azar gasped, seizing the chador wrapped around her, gripping so hard that her knuckles turned white. With every turn, she was thrashed against the walls. With every bump and pothole, her body was sent flying toward the ceiling, the child in her belly rigid, cringing. The blindfold over her eyes was damp with sweat. (3)
Azar is a symbolic name for women means fire in Persian so the writer tries to start the story with bitterness of the situation and shows that the setting of story can be full of fire. Iron floor (cold and hard) of a van is not a comfortable place for a pregnant lady who should rest as much as possible. The most conflicting part of this paragraph for a lady is when the writer says" With every bump and pothole, her body was sent flying toward the ceiling, the child in her belly rigid, cringing" shows her painful, hard and miserable situation.
Summary of Chapters
1. Globalized Gendered Based Diaspora of Postmodern Iranian Novels: Case Study of Sahar Delijani’s Children of the Jacaranda Tree: This section introduces the literary context of the novel, focusing on the author's background and the core themes of diasporic, gendered, and postmodern narration set against the backdrop of the Iranian post-revolutionary era.
Keywords
Diaspora, Postmodernism, Iranian Literature, Gender, Exile, Sahar Delijani, Children of the Jacaranda Tree, Nostalgia, Symbolism, Feminism, Globalization, Identity, Displacement, Narrative, Political Protest
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research paper?
The paper examines Sahar Delijani’s novel "Children of the Jacaranda Tree" to understand how it utilizes postmodern and diasporic narrative strategies to articulate the experiences of Iranian women in exile.
What are the central thematic fields explored?
The central themes include the gendered nature of memory, the experience of exile, political unrest following the Iranian revolution, and the use of symbolism to bridge cultural divides.
What is the core research objective?
The goal is to analyze the effectiveness of the novel's diasporic, postmodern, and gender-based narration in conveying a globalized view of the Iranian experience.
Which scientific method is applied?
The study employs a literary analysis approach, focusing on narratology, symbolic interpretation, and the application of diaspora theory as established by scholars like Edward Said and William Safran.
What topics are covered in the main section?
The main section covers the analysis of the novel's structure, the usage of symbols like the chador and the jacaranda tree, the impact of the Iranian Islamic Revolution, and the emotional realities of the female characters.
Which keywords best describe this work?
Key terms include Diaspora, Postmodernism, Iranian Literature, Gender, Exile, Feminism, and Nostalgia.
How does the novel use the character of Azar to convey its message?
The character of Azar, whose name symbolizes 'fire' in Persian, serves as an entry point for the narrative to explore the 'fiery' and painful conditions of the protagonist, reflecting the broader struggle of Iranian women.
What is the significance of the "Jacaranda Tree" in the title?
The jacaranda tree acts as a symbolic utopian image representing the Iranian Islamic Revolution of 1979, juxtaposing the hope associated with the tree against the political reality faced by the characters.
How does the author characterize the experience of displacement?
The author highlights the emotional detachment and loss of communication that often accompany migration, portraying the characters as wanderers grappling with a 'terminal loss' of their motherland.
- Quote paper
- Dr Shamenaz Bano (Author), 2020, The Novel "Children of the Jacaranda Tree" from Sahar Delijani. Effects of diasporic, postmodern and gender based Narration, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/948947
