Literary Interdisciplinary Research

Investigated individuality in the novel Bammad Khomar

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Zahra Rajabi Shadmahani 1
Zeinab Torabi 2

1 Master's student in the field of comparative literature, Imam Khomeini International University Qazvin, Iran

2 Assistant Professor of Persian Language and Literature at Imam Khomeini International University Qazvin

10.30465/lir.2025.50323.1945
Abstract
Introduction
Archetypal criticism is one of the most frequently used interdisciplinary approaches in literature. Carl Gustav Jung, a 20th-century psychoanalyst and founder of the school of analytical psychology, considered the "Individuation Process" one of the fundamental archetypes in his theory. This process represents an inner journey towards perfection and confronting the self, which outlines the evolution of personality and the method of achieving psychological maturity. According to Jung, the individuation process occurs when a person, in the course of an inner journey, gains knowledge of their personality dimensions. Concepts like the Shadow, Persona, Anima, Animous, Wise Old Man, Self, conscious, and unconscious are prominent archetypes in Jung's theory that play a role in the individual's achievement of individuation.
The unconscious holds an important position in Jung's theory and consists of two layers: the personal unconscious and the collective unconscious. The personal unconscious contains the individual's repressed tendencies and feelings, while the collective unconscious, as the deepest layer of the human psyche, includes memories that are the shared inheritance of mankind. The Wise Old Man emerges as a mentor and guide and directs the incapacitated hero toward their destination. The Shadow represents the base, animalistic, and undesirable aspects of the personality that the individual detests. Accepting the Shadow is the first step on the path to self-knowledge. The Persona is the image that the individual presents to the outside world, concealing their traits behind it. The Anima is the feminine archetype and is responsible for embodying feminine tendencies in the male soul, and the Animous is the embodiment of the masculine element in the unconscious mind of women and is responsible for thinking and reasoning in women. Each of these two possesses negative or positive aspects that play a role in achieving individuation.

Materials & Methods
The present article, utilizing a descriptive-analytical method and using library data and studies, seeks to examine the novel "Bamdade Khomar" by Fattaneh Haj Seyyed Javadi within the framework of Jung's psychological theory. In fact, by analyzing the main character and other influential characters from the perspective of the concepts and archetypes of Jung's theory, it intends to specify the manifestation of individuation in the mentioned work. This research seeks to answer the questions: How does the main character traverse the path of individuation, and which of the individuation concepts play a role during this process?

Discussion & Result
The individuation process is a cognitive process and is considered a type of psychological growth. This process usually occurs in middle age and steers the person from a state of fragmentation and dependence towards psychological integration and the achievement of the true Self. The sequence of events in the novel "Bamdade Khomar" and the life of its central character portray Jung's individuation process.
The retrieval of Mahboubeh’s memories at the beginning of the story initiates a mental journey that reveals the flow of individuation and provides a context for analyzing the effective factors in this path with an archetypal approach. This novel is a scene of love-making between characters who, in the hidden layers of their unconscious, benefit from the shared heritage of humanity, which is love, and their fate is determined by this heritage. Mahboubeh's father appears as the Wise Old Man and saves her from the ruined life with Rahim and returns her to her former safe life. In her shared life with Rahim, Mahboubeh inadvertently tends towards accepting negative aspects due to constant harassment. After a while, she admits that she learned inappropriate behaviors from him. This confession is the point of Mahboubeh's confrontation with her Shadow. The effort to escape these reprehensible traits and the accumulation of repressed emotions is the first step toward freedom from wickedness and the beginning of the path to individuation. After adopting several Personas in various situations, Mahboubeh finally removes the mask from her face. The removal of these masks in honest conversations with Mansour paves the way for further transformation.
Initially, the negative aspect of the Animous led Mahboubeh towards a wrong love; but later, by accepting Mansour as an embodiment of the psychic Animous, she achieves the positive aspect of the Animous, which signifies logic and reason. Mahboubeh's union with the positive aspect of the Animous in the final stages of her journey leads to her courage to leave the first life and search for the true meaning. In addition to the influence of some archetypal symbols and situations, including the white color, the number seven, the tree and plant, seasons, marriage, etc., Mahboubeh’s final transformation was dependent on a dream. Sleep and dreams are a manifestation of the unconscious mind and a tool for communication between the unconscious and conscious. Observing the dream leads Mahboubeh to the station of individuation, and by accepting the surrounding truths, she completes her path of individuation.

Conclusion
In the individuation process, the individual achieves wholeness and distinctiveness through confronting the Shadow, setting aside the Persona, uniting with the Anima and Animous, and benefiting from the guidance of the Wise Old Man. The research results indicate that the novel "Bamdade Khomar" depicts a successful journey on the path of Mahboubeh's individuation. The journey of Mahboubeh's character began with the identification and confrontation with the Shadow (acceptance of negative environmental influences and imitation of them). Then, by passing through the superficial layers (social and defensive Personas) and confronting the inner truth, she proceeded to integrate her unconscious aspects. Finally, her remarriage enabled her to achieve her true Self with psychological maturity and integration, and to be freed from the bondage of unhealthy relationships. Thus, the tragedies of her first life turned into psychological perfection in the second phase of life, and her individuation journey successfully concludes.

Keywords

Jung
individuality
critique of archetypes
archetypal components
Bamdad khomar
Subjects
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