Journal of Literary Criticism

Journal of Literary Criticism

Gypsies don't stay, They always go: Violence in laughter-seller Gypsy

Document Type : Original Article

Author
Abstract
This article investigates different types of violence in relation to otherness and perception of hidden audience about
This article investigates different types of violence in relation to otherness and perception of hidden audience about violence in the novel of Laughter-seller Gypsy. Gypsies are almost absent in Iranian literature; being othered and marginalized signifies the hidden violence obliterating their footprint from literature. Laughter-seller Gypsy is one of the rarest novels representing the strange world of gypsies. It narrates their wanderings, and the violence they bear from insiders and outsiders. Violence can be found in two dimensions in this novel: violence as imposed by non-gypsies on the travelers, and the other type installed by gypsies upon themselves, which reflects the external pressures. The author takes advantage of “counter-storytelling” and uses gypsy narrators to make the violent atmosphere tangible. Also, by breaking the clichés up, it challenges the black and white image of gypsy characters. The dominance of the hierarchical system, racial and ethnic discrimination, insults and curses, accusations, division of gypsy and non-gypsy society, ban of marriage between travelers and villagers, murder, plunder and torture are some types of violence in the Akbarkermaninejad’s novel. This novel reflects the personal and social violence, seeking its causes through a deep investigation, and develops empathy of audience. Violence is a habitus for gypsies and they not only don’t stop it, but also do it themselves. Facing the “cultural other” adjusts the violence of the later generations of gypsies, however, the new generation with medial identity always remains in lower position. Although it has come to the center, it has been pushed to border right in the center.
Keywords: Ali Akbarkermaninejad; gypsy literature; Laughter-Seller Gypsy; minority literature; multicultural literature; violence.
Keywords

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Volume 5, Issue 10
November 2021
Pages 82-51

  • Receive Date 20 April 2020
  • Revise Date 14 September 2020
  • Accept Date 27 September 2020