Mr. Mehdi Nourian, Dr. Hadi Noori,
Volume 32, Issue 97 (1-2025)
Abstract
Purpose:
This article seeks to critique the elitism found in the thoughts of Iranian intellectuals of the 1950s and 1960s. To do so, it analyzes and carries out a deconstructionist reading of Jalal Al-e-Ahmad's story titled Farewell from the collection Three Strings. The book contains 13 stories of Al-e-Ahmad and was published in 1948.
Methodology: This reading is made possible with an emphasis on the French philosopher Jacques Derrida's perspective and applies the eight-step strategy of David Boje as a critical postmodern analysis strategy regarding the narrative. David Boje's method includes duality search, reinterpreting the hierarchy, rebel voices, the other side of the story, denying the plot, finding the exception, stating what is between the lines, and resituating. The article follows each of these steps in order to bring about the deconstructionist reading of the story.
Findings:
After using the 8-step strategy of Boje, eight dualities were found: beauty vs. ugliness, core vs. periphery, naked vs. clothed, enlightenment vs. gluttony, rational vs. superstitious, quiet vs. garrulous, boy vs. girl, and activity vs. passivity. Each of these dualities has a hierarchal dominant/subordinate structure, and the narrator narrates the story in a way he is in the dominant position. Then the hierarchy in each duality was reinterpreted in a way that the rebels found their voice and the other side of the story appeared. The romantic plot of the story was replaced by a tragic one, exceptions were found, and between the lines was read. After doing all the 7 steps, the new narrative was made possible.
Conclusion:
The article concludes that by using David Boje’s strategy and by adopting Jacques Derrida’s deconstructionist approach to read Jalal Al-e-Ahamd’s story titled Farewell, a new narrative was brought about that makes possible the critique of the elitist views of Iranian intellectuals during the 1950s and 1960s decades. It is important to note that it is necessary to go beyond the person of Al-e-Ahmad and to get closer to the subject of Al-e-Ahmad as an Iranian intellectual; a subject that has been made possible in a particular context and has produced works. According to the narrative produced by the deconstructionist reading of the story, it is concluded that the intellectual subject reproduces the hierarchical relationships, puts itself in a superior position, relies on modern reason, and without considering and understanding the existential relations of the subaltern, seeks to represent them and aims to act to accomplish what it calls an intellectual mission.
