Examining the components of realism in the story Tash Khand by Hassan Bani Ameri

Realism, as a realistic school school of thought, expresses the realities of society with the intention of criticism and reformation. By dealing with the lives of heroes, realist artists display a look at the social and political situation of a nation. Accordingly, the story of war is remarkable considering the fact that it is a reflection of realism. “Tash Khand,” as written by “Bani Ameri,” has been narrated through the style of internal monologue and in a language, which is free of complexity and literary art. The design, characters, and elements of Bani Ameri's story conform to the principles of the realistic school of thought and the author's objectives, experiences, and observations have been involved in the creation of "realism". This paper aims to analyze the events of war based on realistic features. Critics’ views on realism are discussed while examining this story from a new perspective. As the results of this study have indicated, the story of "Tash Khand" is one of the realistic stories with its unique characteristics such as characterization, description of details and creation of realistic scenes, attention to time and place, use of slang, etc. Consequently, this story can be introduced as a prominent example of the style of realism in the works of war.
Introduction
Realism is a literary movement that has gained popularity in Europe and America during the mid-19^th century. This school of thought has emerged as a counter-movement to Romanticism, focusing on objectivity and the depiction of real events, whereas, Romanticism emphasized subjectivity. Realism prioritizes the recreation of real incidents in stories, highlighting details, and the provision of impartial observations of events. Its principles include detailed descriptions, attention to small but significant events, use of a third-person narrator, and character typification.
In Iran, where the study has been conducted, the Realism movement gained traction after the Mashruteh Revolution, leading to the creation of significant works. The primary characteristic of Realistic works in Iran is their emphasis on the social role of individuals, seeking the roots of good and bad behaviors within society. Authors of such works do not neglect detailed descriptions in analyzing social relationships. Rather, they meticulously examine the time and place of events and narrate the bitterness, pains, and tangible societal issues, thus reinforcing the sense of realism in the story. They also create character types to emphasize the authenticity of the story's characters. From the point of view, these authors narrate the story from their perspective (as first-person scene observers and narrators) to make it more believable, using colloquial language to enhance realism.
Method and Results
Hassan Bani-Ameri, a contemporary Iranian author, has published numerous works in the fields of novels and short stories. One of his short stories, namely "Tashkhand," is set in the context of war literature. This story depicts facets of war from the perspective of a soldier who is in the midst of these events, attempting to portray the real occurrences of war with artistic techniques and vivid descriptions.
Given the importance of examining an author's intellectual foundations to understand their intellectual dimensions, this study aims to demonstrate the influence of Realism on this story. Via providing reference to credible library sources and employing qualitative content analysis, the current study aims at reviewing the work. The notable features of Realism, such as war themes, detailed descriptions of events, and the realistic conditions of the characters are analyzed and explained through Realistic elements and narrative features in this work.
Conclusion
The study concludes that Realism can be an appropriate method for writing war literature and can have a greater impact on readers compared to other narrative methods. Through utilizing features such as character development, detailed descriptions, realistic scene setting, attention to time and place, use of colloquial language, and realistic themes, the discussed story serves as a prime example of Realism. By employing this writing method, the author has successfully depicted parts of the realities of war and the psychological states of individuals in the best possible way.