Analyzing the Critical Discourse of “No Father’s Name” Novel based on Norman Fairclough's Theory

“No Father’s Name”, written by Seyed Meysam Mousaviyan, is one of the significant contemporary novels with socio-political theme, in which the author, influenced by the social context and atmosphere of the second Pahlavi era, rereads the political events of that period with a critical prospect. The current research analyzes the novel based on Fairclough's theory with the aim of analyzing the dominant discourses on the text of the story. The author, employing a romantic and political narration that is  centered on the declaration of autonomy of Mahabad under the leadership of Qazi Mohammad, criticizes the surrender of the Pahlavi regime to England and America and alignment with the struggles of Fadaiyan-e-Islam represents a distinct recreation of the contemporary political history of Iran. The analysis of the novel based on Fairclough's discourse in description, interpretation, and explanation levels shows the author's tendency towards the ideology of the Islamic Revolution in opposition to the discourse of colonization and Pahlavi's authoritarian rule. The analysis of the author's ideological attitude shows that the dominant discourse of the novel is based on criticism of the authoritarian of Pahlavi regime and convergence with the discourse of Fadaiyan-e-Islam fighting against the authoritarian and colonial system.
Introduction
The relationship between literature, politics, and society is most effectively illustrated through the narrative genre of the novel. Among literary forms, the novel’s narrative structure makes it particularly well-suited for conveying the social and political realities shaped by historical events. Within the various narrative genres, the political novel stands out in contemporary Persian fiction, portraying the political and social dynamics of society against the backdrop of historical contexts. Contemporary Persian novelists have each narrated and reimagined significant political and historical events according to their individual perspectives and tastes. Seyyed Meysam Mousavian, in his novel "No Fathers’ Name," offers a vivid portrayal of the social and political conditions from the 1920s to the 1950s, including explicit references to contemporary Iranian political events. By narrating the story from the perspective of each character involved, he reconstructs political and social events within a framework of historical intertextual relationships. Utilizing archetypes, nostalgic representations of events, and a surprising ending, he has developed a distinctive style in political novel narration. In this narrative approach, Mousavian, drawing on his knowledge of psychology, crafts an engaging story. The writer’s extensive historical research, knowledge, innate talent, and intellectual genius have profoundly influenced the adoption of this narrative style. Therefore, a critical discourse analysis of the novel helps to highlight and introduce this work to both the literary community and contemporary audiences.
Methodology
Discourse analysis, referred to as the systematic study of the structure and processes involved in speech and writing production, is an interdisciplinary research approach that emerged between the mid-1960s and mid-1970s within fields such as sociology, social psychology, linguistics, and other humanities disciplines interested in such matters. In this study, the novel “No Father’s Name” by Seyyed Meysam Mousavian is examined and analyzed using Norman Fairclough’s discourse analysis framework, which operates on three analytical levels: description, interpretation, and explanation. The analysis is conducted based on documentary and library sources.
Results and Discussion
A study and analysis of the linguistic structure of “No Fathers’ Name” reveals that the writer employs a diverse range of words, pronouns, sentences, and specific expressions, reflecting the multiple confrontational discourses. The writer often employs definite verbs and sentences due to his explicit approach in expressing ideological views and making direct references to events in contemporary political history. However, at the same time, when narrating the story from the perspective of each of the characters attributed to each of the dominant discourses in the text, he uses definite or indefinite verbs and sentences with various purposes, in accordance with the approach of the discourse in question. Regarding verb forms, the writer has used various verb forms, including declarative, imperative, and interrogative, in accordance with the discourse of each of the political spectrums. Among them, the declarative and imperative forms are more useful than other verb forms.
Respecting the imperative mood of verbs, an examination of the novel’s linguistic structure embodies that many parts of the text consist of imperative sentences. The prevalence of the imperative mood in verbs signifies the dominance of a superior and authoritarian discourse over subordinate discourse. Analysing “No Father’s Name” at the level of interpretation suggests that this story is narrated with a focus on several significant events in contemporary Iranian political history during the second Pahlavi period. The story of the novel spans the historical and political events from 1941 to the Islamic Revolution, drawing on the discourse of the struggle against colonialism and tyranny. The declaration of Mahabad’s autonomy under the leadership of Qazi Muhammad in 1945, the establishment of the Republic of Mahabad by Stalin’s decree in the same year, the political influence of the Soviet Union and the formation of the Tudeh Party, the armed struggles of the Fedayeen of Islam led by Navvab Safavi, the political influence of the British government in the court, and the popular uprisings of Mahabad are among the most critical axes and adventures of the novel that the writer narrates.
At the explanatory level, the author of "No Father’s Name," influenced by the social and political climate of the second Pahlavi era, crafted his work to address several fundamental issues. These include criticism of the Western-dependent governing system, condemnation of the subservience and passivity of domestic actors, critique of British political influence and interference in the country’s internal affairs, denunciation of the corrupt Pahlavi military system, opposition to the Soviet separatist approach in Iran, and alignment with the anti-colonial and anti-authoritarian ideology of the Fedayian-e Islam. These are among the most significant themes and discourses the author conveys through a romantic and compelling narrative.
Conclusion
The research findings indicate that the critical discourse analysis of the novel “No Father's Name," the three levels of description, and explanation explanation can summarized as follows:
At the descriptive level, the author employs a highly coherent network of lexical choices, marked propositions, pronouns, adverbs, and verb forms to articulate the ideological perspectives and discourse surrounding the Islamic Revolution. Accordingly, the primary discourses dominating the novel’s text and the key participants involved in the narrative include: the discourse related to colonial powers; the discourse concerning the Pahlavi ruling system; the discourse contrasting the Soviet Union and the Eastern Bloc with Western powers; and the discourse involving the Struggle and Resistance Front and the Devotees of Islam. This suggests a confrontation among four groups of influential actors with opposing viewpoints.
At the interpretive level, the analysis reveals intertextual connections between the novel’s narrative and the archetype of Rostam and Sohrab from Shahnameh, as well as an intertextual relationship with the psychological archetype of the Oedipus complex. The novelist, drawing on psychological knowledge and religious beliefs, constructs a complex narrative that intertwines political, romantic, and psychological dimensions. This multifaceted discourse analysis conveys symbolic meanings and highlights a parallel between the role of the cat and the Simorgh in the protagonist’s development and survival.
At the explanatory level, critical discourse analysis reveals key themes, including criticism of the Western-dependent ruling regime, condemnation of domestic complicity, critique of the Soviet separatist approach in Iran, and alignment with the anti-colonial and anti-authoritarian ideology of the Fedayeen of Islam. These themes serve to articulate the revolutionary discourse through a narrative form. Additionally, the novel’s unique features include its romantic narrative framework, psychological depth in character portrayal, multi-dimensional perspective, careful selection of the fictional subject, use of archetypal references, creation of vivid and credible atmospheres, a coherent plot structure, and an unexpected conclusion.