Journal of the stylistic of Persian poem and prose
volume Number 19، number In Volume 1، Apeil 2026 ، issue Number 119

Typology of neurotic characters in Houshang Golshiri's social political stories based on Karen Horne's theory

Fatemeh Shokri , Maryam Salahshoor (Author in Charge), Maryam Mohammadzadeh

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Houshang Golshiri is a prolific novelist in contemporary literature who, in some of his works, has described the political and social tensions of the Pahlavi era and the disillusionment of party activists after the coup by choosing neurotic and nervous characters. In this article, with the aim of examining the typology of nervous characters whose nervousness is due to political activities, four of his stories have been examined using Karen Horney"s theory.

METHODOLOGY: The research method is a library study and a survey tool. The content writing is in the "descriptive-analytical" style, and the statistical population of the research is the four stories "Delizh", "Mishle Hamish", "A Photo for an Empty Frame" and "Both Sides of a Coin" from Golshiri"s book "The Dark Half of the Moon" published in 2001 by Niloufar Publications.

FINDINGS: In his political and social stories, Golshiri narrates the performance and reaction of intellectuals to the defeat in the coup, and in several stories he has discussed the confrontation of party members in the thoughts of struggle and surrender, hope and despair. An examination of the four selected stories shows that, according to Horney"s personality typology, the characters" defensive states in the face of this defeat show the fragmentation of intellectuals. Arrest and imprisonment are the fundamental anxiety that causes nervousness, and the characters have adopted three defensive states of love-seeking, isolationist, and supremacist. The supremacist type is divided into two categories: fight to the death and betrayal. Some continued the path of struggle and were shot. But some saved themselves from prison by betraying their party comrades, while some turned to isolation and committed suicide due to the defeat of their ideals. Love-seekers, who work without a specific ideal, chose the path of surrender and cooperation in prison. Isolationists, disappointed with the struggle, turned to everyday life and avoided party members and political activity. In this way, Golshiri has narrated frustration and hopelessness, surrender and betrayal of comrades, suicide, and hope for struggle.

CONCLUSION: In the content of the four stories, the fundamental anxiety of the coup and political unrest is that Golshiri narrates the actions of political activists in the thirties and forties, how people became desperate after the coup and, by avoiding any activity, have an isolationist type. In contrast, people with a supremacist type still hope for victory and fight and are killed. When they fail in the fight, they become isolated and commit suicide. Some also relieve themselves of anxiety by betraying party members, and passive characters who have no ideals surrender and have an affection-seeking type.

Keyword
Golshiri , Horney , personality , anxiety , typology.