Journal of the stylistic of Persian poem and prose
volume Number 18، number In Volume 10، Junuary 2026 ، issue Number 116

A Comparative Study of Individual and Social Disruptions in “Tuba and the Meaning of the Night” by Shahrnush Parsipur and “We Get Used to It” by Zoya Pirzad

Samaneh Asyabi Haghi , Bagher Sadrinia (Author in Charge), Ebrahim Ranjbar , Sakineh Rasmi

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: This study aims to conduct a comparative analysis of individual and social disruptions in two novels: “Tuba and the Meaning of the Night” by Shahrnush Parsipur and “We Get Used to It” by Zoya Pirzad. The research endeavors to identify, analyze, and compare the various types and levels of disruption experienced by the main female characters in these novels, thereby illuminating how contemporary Iranian literature represents women’s concerns and crises.

METHODOLOGY: Employing a descriptive-analytical approach and a comparative literary methodology, this research draws upon close textual analysis of the primary novels. Qualitative content analysis is complemented by references to relevant sociological and psychological sources. To enhance analytical clarity and depth, the study incorporates direct textual examples and quotations from both novels as well as pertinent scholarly works.

FINDINGS: The analysis reveals that individual disruptions in both novels stem from the tension between the protagonists’ subjective desires and the externally imposed realities of their socio-cultural environments. These disruptions manifest as identity crises, psychological distress, suppression of individuality, and efforts toward self-redefinition. In “Tuba and the Meaning of the Night,” individual disruption primarily emerges through Tuba’s fate and that of the women in her family, reflecting the conflict between tradition and modernity. Conversely, in “We Get Used to It,” such disruption appears through intergenerational tensions, maternal anxiety, and disillusionment with familial relationships. Social disruptions in both works originate in weakened support networks, shifting value systems, migration, social exclusion, and women’s systemic inability to attain equitable rights and social standing—issues often intricately interwoven with familial and societal crises.

CONCLUSION: The findings indicate that both novels critically depict the condition of Iranian women within the contexts of generational dynamics, traditional structures, and ongoing social transformations. They demonstrate that individual and social disruptions are not merely products of external structures but are internalized phenomena deeply connected to women’s psychological and identity-forming processes. These female characters continually grapple with historical, cultural, and familial obstacles in their pursuit of autonomy, selfhood, and psychological well-being.

Keyword
Individual disruption , Social disruption , Tuba and the Meaning of the Night , We Get Used to It.