Content Analysis of The Little Black Fish by Samad Behrangi Based on Jungian Psychological Discourse

Abstract

In this study, the psychological analysis of the character The Little Black Fish is conducted based on Jung’s theory of individuation. The Little Black Fish, as the most well-known literary work for adolescents, reflects the experiences and behaviors of a generation—a generation that sacrificed its life for its ideals. The structure of the story, like ancient myths, is founded upon the motif of a journey. The Little Black Fish does not accept the status quo and begins a journey from the stream toward the sea. This work can also be regarded as the author’s conclusion. He considers the way to overcome the adverse conditions described in his other tales to be through gaining awareness of the root causes of such circumstances and taking action to change them. The sense of individuation in The Little Black Fish is not imposed but voluntary. In fact, what drives The Little Black Fish into solitude and entry into the cycle of consciousness is not rejection by society but the inability to tolerate the pond and its inhabitants. The research method applied is content analysis. Sources were collected through reference to books, reputable scientific journals, periodicals, and internet searches. In the examination of education, and by synthesizing the research findings, it can be concluded that the reflection of educational themes in this story is mostly influenced by leftist discourse as well as prevalent national and religious discourses, and stands in opposition to the discourse of domination (the discourse of despotism).