Narrative Structure of the Epistolary Story in Houshang Golshiri's Stories: "The First Innocent" and "The Prisoner of Paghan" as a Model

Abstract

The epistolary story is a relatively rare genre in literature. Iranian writer Houshang Golshiri explored this genre in some of his works. This study aims to highlight the capacity of the epistolary form to convey a story, focusing on the extent to which the narrative elements -setting, time, and characters- are developed. This research employs a descriptive-analytical approach, studying the narrative elements of the epistolary novels by Houshang Golshiri, specifically "The First Innocent" and "The Prisoner of Paghan".  The study found that in both stories, the setting is equated with the protagonist, leading the narrator to elaborate on it extensively.  Time, on the other hand, is not given much importance, as it is not crucial to developing the character or the plot, especially in "The Prisoner of Pagan".  Furthermore, the study revealed that both stories and letters focus on the narrator, serving to characterize him as a self-reflective figure. This is further emphasized by the presence of an opposing character who attains importance comparable to, or even surpassing, that of the narrator. Other findings will be presented later.