Studying the Concept of “Otherness” and “Presence and Absence” in the collection of stories Dog’s Eye by Alie Ataie (According to Jacques Derrida's4 metaphysics of presence theory)

One of the concepts criticized by Derrida in Western thought is the significant emphasis on the metaphysics of presence, which serves to suppress and obscure the aspects of absence (otherness and difference) that have always been integral to human life and thought. Through this critique, Derrida has established a foundation for reading texts from a previously overlooked and hidden dimension. Some of the texts worthy of discussion from this perspective are the stories that the present research has attempted to study using a descriptive-analytical method. The aim is to understand the factors and foundations that create the feeling of "otherness" in the characters of Alia Ataee's collection of stories, Dog’s Eye by using Jacques Derrida's metaphysical theory of presence to examine confrontational relationships and to consider the theme of absence from both the author's and the reader's perspectives. The significance of this research is evident in its ability to present an alternative approach to reading, revealing gaps and overlooked aspects of the text that offer new insights for readers. The findings indicate that in these seven stories, various factors contribute to the concept of migration and cultural differences, which also lead to confrontations. Considering the experience of being bicultural and drawing from both the present and absent (Iranian-Afghan) perspectives, the author has made a concerted effort to narrate stories from both sides. This displacement of the absent and present perspectives is evident in the narration and is reflected in the expressions of the characters.
Introduction:
Western thought is fundamentally shaped by the metaphysics of presence, a concept articulated by Plato through his theory of Forms and by Aristotle through the notion of substance. This philosophical tradition posits that immutable truths exist in a transcendent realm beyond the mutable physical world. Rumi, in his "Masnavi", eloquently illustrates this idea, depicting the material world as a mere shadow of a higher, unchanging reality. Jacques Derrida, a philosopher whose ideas gained significant traction in Iran—where many of his works have been translated into Persian—critically examined the metaphysics of presence, a dominant paradigm in Western philosophy since Plato. Through his theory of deconstruction, Derrida dismantled the binary oppositions (such as presence/absence) that underlie this tradition. His approach to textual analysis shifted the focus from apparent meanings to latent, suppressed dimensions, introducing a novel interpretive methodology. This study examines The Dog’s Eye, a short story collection by Alie Ataie through the lens of Derrida’s metaphysics of presence. Ataie’s dual Iranian-Afghan identity and migrant experience make her work particularly well-suited for this analysis, as they highlight the dynamics of "otherness." In her narratives, Ataei oscillates between the "present" (Iranian) and the "absent" (Afghan) perspectives, a duality vividly portrayed by her characters. This interplay aligns with Derridean deconstruction, rendering the collection a compelling case study. Ataei, an acclaimed author and recipient of prestigious literary awards such as the Mehregan-e Adab and Vav prizes, draws upon her bicultural background to explore themes of displacement and identity.
Methodology:
This library-based research adopts a descriptive-analytical methodology. Specifically, the short story collection The Dog’s Eye is examined through the lens of Derrida’s critique of the metaphysics of presence, his deconstruction of the presence/absence binary, and the conceptual framework of "otherness”.
Results and Discussion:
The collection comprises seven short stories that, while independent in terms of narrative structure and literary elements, collectively explore the theme of migration and its associated challenges through diverse geographical and narrative perspectives. Three stories of "Like Galileo, The Back Room, and Thirty Kilometers are set in Tehran. While Samarkand Night takes place in Samarkand, Aunt Homa’s Memorial (Khatm-e Ammeh Homa) unfolds along the Iran-Afghanistan border. "The Immediate Effect of a Butterfly" is set in Istanbul, and "The Balkhi Elephant" occurs in Birjand. The narratives employ varying points of view and utilize a first-person perspective, immersing readers in the protagonists' subjective experiences. In contrast, the remaining five stories adopt a third-person omniscient narration, offering a broader and more detached perspective on events and characters.
This intentional variation in setting and narrative technique not only reflects the fragmented and multifaceted nature of migrant experiences but also aligns with Derridean deconstruction of fixed identities and binary oppositions, as the stories oscillate between personal and collective accounts of displacement.
In the short story "Like Galileo"— similar to a part of Alie Ataei's collection The Dog's Eye —the concept of the "Other" as both an alien presence and a suppressed facet of collective identity is powerfully articulated. The protagonist's internal monologueepitomizes the Derridean tension between presence and absence.
The linguistic commonality between Persian and Afghan Dari—often cited as a key facilitator of Afghan migration to Iran—emerges in Ataie's stories as an ironic site of failed communion. Despite the shared lexical roots, the narratives systematically expose how language becomes a contested terrain where ideological subtexts override semantic connections. This aligns with Derrida's radical reconceptualization of language in Grammatology: what appears as a transparent medium for mutual understanding is in fact a slippery domain of "differance," where unspoken power dynamics and historical contingencies silently structure communication (Tyson, 2019: 406).
The collection of The Dog's Eye presents a nuanced exploration of "otherness" through two distinct modes of confrontation and inversion between the "Self" (present) and the "Other" (absent). The first mode emerges intraculturally within the Afghan migrant community itself, as exemplified in the story "The Back Room." In this narrative, the character Khosrow—an Afghan who has achieved relative acceptance in Iranian society—ironically assumes the role of the dominant "Self" in relation to his fellow Afghan, Negareh. Despite their shared nationality, Khosrow's internalized hostility ("He thought about reporting her") and alignment with Iranian security concerns ("He worried about Iran's safety like a local") illustrate how assimilation can recreate oppressive hierarchies within marginalized groups.
Conclusion:
A defining feature of this short story collection is its strategic use of Derridean deconstruction to transform the "absent" aspect of Afghan migrant experiences into a "present" reality. This approach familiarizes Iranian readers with perspectives that have traditionally been marginalized in their consciousness. The author skillfully accomplishes this through nuanced storytelling that highlights cultural, linguistic, and physical differences, thereby illuminating the often-overlooked dimensions of Afghan migrants' lives.
Simultaneously, by portraying the vulnerability of Afghan characters and their suffering during displacement to Iran, the narratives evoke empathy and humanitarian solidarity in readers—a rhetorical device that amplifies the absent perspective while highlighting the lived realities of Afghans. Another notable technique involves creating intra-group conflict among Iranians to defend the ostracized "Other." In one story, Alieh Ataei depicts an Iranian woman in conflict with her husband after he reports undocumented Afghans, ultimately leading to their divorce. This narrative choice not only deconstructs the self/other binary but also aligns with Derrida’s metaphysics of presence by revealing how dominant narratives suppress marginalized voices.
The text systematically operationalizes deconstructive theory by transforming the absent Afghan perspectives into present ones. It challenges Iranian stereotypes while highlighting overlooked commonalities, such as the psychological toll of social exclusion and the underutilized potential of linguistic kinship between Persian and Afghan dialects as a unifying force. Remarkably, even while centering Afghan protagonists whose emotions and viewpoints dominate the narratives, Ataie avoids making either of the perspectives essential. Though most narratives prioritize Afghan perspectives in recounting interactions with Iranians, the author occasionally integrates Iranian viewpoints, creating a dialectical tension that resists simplistic representations. This balanced narrative structure ensures that while Afghan experiences are highlighted, the Iranian perspective is not overlooked, reflecting the complexity of cross-cultural encounters. The collection serves as both a literary deconstruction of presence/absence hierarchies and a socio-political intervention that advocates for recalibrated intercommunal perceptions.