Different Forms of Violence in Farībā Vafī’s Writing: The Case of The Secret in the Alleys and The Grimace

Abstract

Abstract Readers frequently come across signs—both hidden and manifest—of violence perpetrated against women in Farībā Vafī’s novels. Vafī’s work is characterized by narrative heterogeneity as well as a multivarious vocabulary that is both ironic and sardonic. Her writing is situated within the volatile domesticity of “normal” Iranian families. In this setting, she describes the encounter, contrast, and melding between tradition and modernity in the broadest sense and different generations of women. This article examines how the author portrays violence against women in her writing, analyzing both the psychological and sociological factors that contribute to this depiction.