What follows is the result of an idea to connect the field of philosophy and thought with the world of drama. Let us choose sentences to ponder from the statements of the members of the philosophical group, which are archived in the “Chistiha Blog” (http://chistiha.blogfa.com); and after manipulating the concepts of those statements, and doing a brief exercise and editing, let us create a dramatic idea that will continue to form another dialogue, another concept, and another thought.
In the principles of drama writing, “ideation” and “drafting” have a specific method; but we tried to be one step before the idea and the plot. At the same stage of mental spark or, in our own words, the “study” stage, where the writer’s hand is open to writing down any image, concept, or point. Here, we have not limited ourselves to not mentioning the technical instructions, performance arrangements, dialogue, staging, and other matters, and left them for more detailed plans; on the contrary, we have completely written down whatever came to mind at the moment.
During our group meetings, we came to the conclusion that it was not necessary to obtain refined and precise plans from our conversations. It was only necessary to immediately edit and record everything that came to mind in an instant as a “study.”
And now we share the same with you. May these exercises and sketches be the beginning of a path to step on a bridge between philosophy and drama.
Ideas on the Bridge from Philosophy to Drama: Etude One Hundred and Seventeen
Note: These sketches have been registered with the Islamic Culture and Guidance Department. And the intellectual property belongs to the author.
These sketches are only allowed to be republished on the “Chistiha” site.
Etude Ninety-Seven
The general outline and storyline of a series
Tehran, Dubai and Bahrain; The Sixties to the Early Nineties
First, a neighborhood and its residents in the early sixties. For the Sheikhi family, we consider the model of the family of martyr Mohammad Jahanara. And for the other families, the most tangible lives of today’s society.
It is the mid-sixties. We are in the Bagh Shah neighborhood of Tehran. The houses are mostly two to three hundred meters long and have brick facades and are relatively old. The Sheikhi family has five sons. We can consider the four sons to be the model of the personality of the family of martyr Jahanara, and their mother is also the model of housewives, chaste and believing mothers of that time. Like all the mothers whose children were martyred and who were interviewed on television; and of course the fourth son who was on the front of Saddam and the People’s Mujahedin during Operation Mersad. And we are dealing with the fifth son of this family. The youngest son of this family is named Amir Ali.
Amir Ali is friends with his middle school and high school friend, a boy named Mehrdad Zag and Bor. The two of them went and registered at the Azad University when it was first established and took a degree in accounting. But at the same time, they started from a basement and established a company and started the export and import business with the least possible capital. Over time, they were able to buy a telephone line and a fax machine and move from that basement to an apartment near the intersection of Lashkar and Muniriyah and then hire a secretary and register the company and get an economic code and their company had exhibitions in Dubai and Bahrain and gradually expanded until in the nineties they were one of the largest import and export companies with offices in Europe and a warehouse in Lavasan and two representatives in Bandar Abbas and Kish. This company’s growth is happening despite the fact that Mehrdad has not married until recently, and recently, after his mother’s death, at the age of fifty, he married one of his girlfriends, who is about twenty years younger than him, and has a child. He lives a very normal and modern life in an apartment in Velenjak. Mehrdad is an accountant in every sense of the word. However, the life of Amir Ali, who married very early, will be the main focus of our series. And we have to go to the same neighborhood to follow his marriage and the life of his wife’s family along with other neighbors.
We know that Amir Ali grew up in this religious and devout family. In their house, where blacksmiths are always praised, everything is simple: they have pillows and backs in their two living rooms; and a set of furniture in the living room that they bought from Hajj Tahmasbi, a furniture seller on the street. Hajj Tahmasbi’s daughters have grown up and gotten married one by one, and we will witness these marriages, departures, and adventures. One of these daughters is Nooshin, who has had a few glances between her and Amir Ali. But Nooshin is also given to another suitor, and that little girl from the second or third grade, who is still a child, named Narges, remains. Narges has never seen Amir Ali. Narges is the last child. That naughty, cheerful, unschooling, open-minded girl with a bit of childish foolishness. Until a few years later (after they have been proposing to Amir Ali repeatedly and none of them have responded), through a neighbor, they tell his mother that Hajj Tahmasb has another daughter, and they should go and propose, and by the way, Narges is in her final year of high school. Anyway, Narges and Amir Ali get married despite their 16-year age gap.
The focus of the story of this series is Narges and Amir Ali and the child they give birth to, Taha.
And we will occasionally, by necessity, also go into Narges’ dreams. And also into her fantasies. And of course, perhaps into the memories of Amir Ali’s mind. But in no way should this arrangement be used so much that we leave reality and the real world.
During this series, we will also follow Haj Tahmasb’s family, which has four daughters and one son, to some extent. And the jobs of the sons-in-law of this family should reflect the economic situation of society and the political situation of Iran during these decades. For example, contracting sidewalks and parks in Tehran with the municipality. Or trading marble stones from the Isfahan mines to Tehran. Or developments in Behesht Zahra in Tehran. The existence of these sons-in-law and their jobs can be the best pathological basis for the subject of the series.
The first years of all relationships are good. Although it is a war and all the items are a dowry and life, with an economic mobilization booklet, and a shortage of basic necessities of life, despite all this life in all its dimensions, proceeds based on an order and Iranian traditions and socializing and sacrifice for the construction of the country. And Narges continues her education in her husband’s house at the Azad University of South Tehran. And the birth of Taha; a child who is growing up day by day. At the same time, along with the uniform appearance of this life, Narges’ various illnesses, some of which are female and some of which are skin and infectious. And her hair is falling out and she is becoming more nervous day by day. And the doctor and medicine. In short, the neurologist and psychiatrist and pills that constantly have a bad and worse effect. And the child who grows up nervous and spoiled and is not interested in kindergarten or elementary school. And Narges’ sisters who are worried about her. But the two families still try to be completely respectful. And at family parties, everyone witnesses a silent rivalry between Narges and Amir Ali. And at non-family parties, such as Mehrdad’s gatherings, we also witness Mehrdad offering her liquor in the kitchen, the same ones they smuggled in along with other goods. Their friend, Rahim Talebi, imported it. Although the two are not involved in this smuggling. But in any case, when both partners meet with foreigners at exhibitions in Dubai and Bahrain in hotels there, they should know the types of whiskey. And at least know what the difference is between malt whiskey and pure, luxury whiskey.
The first years of all relationships are good. Although it is a war and all the items are a dowry and life, with an economic mobilization booklet, and a shortage of basic necessities of life, despite all this life in all its dimensions, proceeds based on an order and Iranian traditions and socializing and sacrifice for the construction of the country. And Narges continues her education in her husband’s house at the Azad University of South Tehran. And the birth of Taha; a child who is growing up day by day. At the same time, along with the uniform appearance of this life, Narges’ various illnesses, some of which are female and some of which are skin and infectious. And her hair is falling out and she is becoming more nervous day by day. And the doctor and medicine. In short, the neurologist and psychiatrist and pills that constantly have a bad and worse effect. And the child who grows up nervous and spoiled and is not interested in kindergarten or elementary school. And Narges’ sisters who are worried about her. But the two families still try to be completely respectful. And at family parties, everyone witnesses a silent rivalry between Narges and Amir Ali. And at non-family parties, such as Mehrdad’s gatherings, we also witness Mehrdad offering her a glass in the kitchen, one of the same ones they have imported along with other goods. Their friend, Rahim Talebi, has imported it. Although these two are not in this business. But anyway, when both partners have meetings with foreigners at exhibitions in Dubai and Bahrain in hotels there, they should know the types of drinks. And at least know what the difference is between malt whiskey and pure, luxury whiskey.
And after the gatherings, we see Narges in a car arguing with Amir Ali, who is somewhat drunk. She is afraid that their son, who is in his early teens, will also learn from his father; and drink. And one night, an accident occurs following such an argument, and Narges is to blame for distracting her husband, and she does not forgive herself. And she endures a lot of mental pressure after that. Narges herself, who once wore a chador to go to Azad University and always wore a headscarf in her husband’s family and helped in baking offerings, is now not veiled at Mehrdad’s gatherings. And of course, every time he goes by, her skirt gets shorter and the slit in her blouse gets wider, and her hair style and color are strange. So that she can compete with Mehrdad’s friends. Friends, none of whom are employees of the company. Narges, of course, is still loyal to Amir Ali, and her life is limited to the kitchen, the refrigerator, the oven, and baking cakes and taking them to this and that. And she throws parties under any pretext and hangs out with her friends from college and a few friends from the hair salon. And now that their house has moved uptown, she hangs out with the fashionable neighbors on the upper floors of their building and sometimes goes to restaurants. And one of her friends is the wife of one of the vice principals of their son’s high school. And Taha has realized that her mother is more interested in Mr. Sarawi than in the wife of that vice principal (Mr. Sarawi), and has long phone calls with him under the pretext of Taha’s academic performance. Mr. Sarawi is also Taha’s religious vision teacher. And he tries to be humble. And he says philosophical sentences. That stay in Narges’ ears. Sentences that will occasionally repeat in her mind over the coming years, and we see how much these sentences will save her life at critical moments.
And after the gatherings, we see Narges in the car arguing with Amir Ali, who is somewhat confused. She is afraid that their son, who is in his early teens, will also learn from his father; and drink. And one night, an accident occurs following such an argument, and Narges is to blame for distracting her husband, and she does not forgive herself. And she endures a lot of mental pressure after that. Narges herself, who once wore a chador to go to Azad University and always wore a headscarf in her husband’s family and helped in baking offerings, is now at Mehrdad’s gatherings today. And of course, every time she passes, her skirt gets shorter and the slit in her blouse gets wider, and her hair style and color are strange. So that she can compete with Mehrdad’s friends. Friends, none of whom are employees of the company. Narges, of course, is still loyal to Amir Ali, and her life is limited to the kitchen, the refrigerator, the oven, and baking cakes and taking them to this and that. And she throws parties under any pretext and hangs out with her friends from college and a few friends from the hair salon. And now that their house has moved uptown, she hangs out with the fashionable neighbors on the upper floors of their building and sometimes goes to restaurants. And one of her friends is the wife of one of the vice-principals of their son’s high school. And Taha has realized that her mother is more interested in Mr. Sarawi than in the wife of that vice-principal (Mr. Sarawi), and she has long phone calls with him under the pretext of Taha’s academic performance. Mr. Sarawi is also Taha’s religious vision teacher. And he tries to be humble. And he says philosophical sentences that stay in Narges’ ears. Sentences that will occasionally repeat in her mind over the coming years, and we see how much these sentences will save her life at critical moments.
Mr. Sarawi is a religious reformer. Very well-read. A social activist who supports Takhti.
Mr. Sarawi is a reformer. Very well-read. A social activist who supports Takhti.
One of the characters in this series is Shirin. Shirin, a girl who spent most of her life in Austria, the cities of Vienna, Baden, and Salzburg, is now a high-ranking employee of an international company called AS Tools Co. In the afternoons of even-numbered days, she comes to Amir Ali and Mehrdad’s company for two hours near sunset to do translation work and some LC work. In the company where Shirin works (AS Tools Co.), all the men wear ties. Of course, when entering the company; on the same floor below. Not from the street. Women in colorful scarves and short coats and nail polish and makeup. And the boss, when he comes from Austria and Italy every season or every year and a half, shakes hands with all the women and kisses some. And these customs are a bit strange for Amir Ali, who sometimes goes to that company, at first, and then they become normal. But for Narges, who has gone to that company with Amir Ali a few times, they are very envious. And Narges has been bad-tempered with Amir Ali many times over this translator and has expressed her jealousy to such an extent that on the day of the divorce, at the last minute, she said, “If you had kicked Shirin out, I wouldn’t have gotten a divorce.” And of course, that’s too late. Because now it’s Amir Ali who has made a firm decision to divorce. And Narges remembers that at one of the exhibitions in Dubai that they had gone to with Taha, in Amir Ali’s booth, right there, right next to Amir Ali, Shirin was there, speaking to foreigners like they were their fellow speakers in English and German. And how powerful and dominant she was. And we know that Shirin doesn’t even have a half-hearted view of Amir Ali. But anyway, she grew up in Europe. And she’s different from Narges. And that day at the Dubai exhibition, Narges’ mood was ruined by Shirin’s presence, and ultimately Narges messed up the situation on that trip.
One of the characters in this series is Shirin. Shirin, a girl who spent most of her life in Austria, the cities of Vienna, Baden, and Salzburg, is now a high-ranking employee of an international company called AS Tools Co. In the afternoons of even-numbered days, she comes to Amir Ali and Mehrdad’s company for two hours near sunset to do translation work and some LC work. In the company where Shirin works (AS Tools Co.), all the men wear formal clothes. Of course, when entering the company; on the same floor. Not from the street. Women in colorful scarves and short coats and nail polish and makeup. And the boss, when he comes from Austria and Italy every season or every year and a half, shakes hands with all the women and kisses some. And these customs are a bit strange for Amir Ali, who sometimes goes to that company, at first, and then they become normal. But for Narges, who has gone to that company with Amir Ali a few times, they are very envious. And Narges has been bad-tempered with Amir Ali many times over this translator and has expressed her jealousy to such an extent that on the day of the divorce, at the last minute, she said, “If you had kicked Shirin out, I wouldn’t have gotten a divorce.” And of course, that’s too late. Because now it’s Amir Ali who has made a firm decision to divorce. And Narges remembers that at one of the exhibitions in Dubai that they had gone to with Taha, in Amir Ali’s booth, right there, right next to Amir Ali, Shirin was there, speaking to foreigners like they were their fellow speakers in English and German. And how powerful and dominant she was. And we know that Shirin doesn’t even have a half-hearted view of Amir Ali. But anyway, she grew up in Europe. And she’s different from Narges. And that day at the Dubai fair, Narges’ mood was ruined by Shirin’s presence, and ultimately Narges messed up the situation on that trip.
Several of Narges’ sisters also went abroad during these years. One of them got divorced and went to Europe with a child. And the other went to Canada with her husband and two sons. The eldest of them stayed in Iran and went after money and ill-fated wealth. And their parents, who have been dead for years, and they sold that house that same year without any delay. But with the crying and tears of the girls who had memories. And by the way, Noushin, whom we loved at the beginning, also got the most illnesses and misfortune after misfortune. So that in the end, it is Amir Ali who secretly and out of humanity will help her financially; away from her husband’s eyes. And a kind of human and noble relationship between these two, who once had some childish glances at each other (Noushin was also a graduate of Motahari School). Their uneducated and simple mother, in the end, only prayed that God would spare Narges’s whims.
But Amir Ali’s mother, with all her sorrows that her four sons were killed in this war, continues to live in the corner of the same house for days that no one wishes for. The woman who stood in line for hours for meat is now lying in bed like a limp piece of meat, alive with an oxygen capsule. She has had a nurse for several years. And each of these nurses has a story. Anyway, we witness Narges and Amir Ali’s divorce. And the custody battles. And that Amir Ali pays the dowry to the last rial. And Narges goes and rents a house. And each time a smaller and more humble house. And unstable and demeaning jobs. Like being a secretary in an office, etc. And then we witness that none of the sisters can stop Narges’ recklessness, and they witness in the height of disbelief that their sister is going down a path that is absolutely incomprehensible to them. And several psychologists are also to blame for Narges’s wrong choices and have pushed her down this wrong path instead of saving her. And of course, one of them has hospitalized her in a government hospital for two months. On the other hand, Amir Ali has temporary relationships with his secretaries, each lasting one or two years and not more, and the relationships change one after the other. And the fate of Taha, who is the most important, central and main part of this series, will end there, when he is imprisoned for the crime of being an accomplice to a smuggler’s son. The son of Rahim Talebi. Taha has been in prison for a while and his father releases him with a heavy bail. Amir Ali, whose hair is all gray these days, consults with Mehrdad in the sorrow of his son’s life and such a bail. And Mehrdad, who is now living in the height of happiness and wealth in the Velenjak house, suggests that Taha be sent to Dubai by several smugglers who are almost acquaintances. And Amir Ali accepts and does the same. And we witness Taha going to Bandar Abbas at night and from there going to Dubai with those smugglers. And this is while Narges has not heard anything about her son. And this news causes her to be very depressed. Narges is skin and bones these days. And of course an addict. And her last boyfriend, who is also a heavy addict, suggests that she use some marijuana to calm down and relax. And this consumption destroys her. And leads to her being hospitalized.
Anyway, we witness Narges and Amir Ali’s divorce. And the custody battles. And that she pays the dowry to the last rial of Amir Ali. And Narges goes and rents a house. And each time a smaller and more humble house. And unstable jobs that are far from her dignity. Like being a secretary in an office, etc. And then we see that none of the sisters can stop Narges’ recklessness, and they witness in the height of disbelief that their sister is going down a path that is absolutely incomprehensible to them. And several psychologists are also to blame for Narges’ wrong choices, and instead of saving her, they have pushed her down this wrong path. And of course, one of them has hospitalized her in a government hospital for two months. On the other hand, Amir Ali finds temporary relationships with his secretaries, each lasting one or two years and not more, and the relationships change one after the other. And the fate of Taha, who is the most important, central and main part of this series, will end there, when he is imprisoned for the crime of being an accomplice to the son of a smuggler. The son of Rahim Talebi. Taha has been in prison for a while and his father releases him on a heavy bail. Amir Ali, whose hair is completely gray these days, consults with Mehrdad in the sorrow of his son’s life and such a bail. And Mehrdad, who is now living in the house of Velenjak at the height of happiness and wealth, suggests that Taha be sent to Dubai by some smugglers who are almost acquaintances. And Amir Ali accepts and does the same. And we witness that Taha goes to Bandar Abbas at night and from there goes to Dubai with those smugglers. And this is while Narges has not heard anything about her son. And this news causes her spirits to fall apart. Narges is just skin and bones these days. And of course an addict. And her last friend, who is also a serious addict, suggests that she take some drugs to relieve herself and calm down. And this consumption destroys her. And leads to her being hospitalized.
In the same hospital where Amir Ali’s mother had been hospitalized for many years until the day she died. When Amir Ali’s mother was brought to the hospital, the ceiling of her hallway, bathroom, and living room had collapsed, and that dilapidated house was collapsing completely, and real estate agencies were constantly bringing in customers for it. And for Amir Ali, who sometimes goes there, there are dusty photo frames of four martyrs on the gray and gray walls; and in the drawers there are cassette tapes of blacksmiths’ eulogies and VHSs of interviews with their mother and a few chains of martyrs’ plaques and memories of this kind; which take him to the time when this courtyard was central to the local people. That during the war, when there was silence and the red siren sounded, the people would come and take refuge in the basement of this house. Amir Ali was always afraid of death, of martyrdom, of war, and of killing. Maybe that’s why he was different from his brothers. He is afraid of the smell of blood, and almost hates it. He remembers that he has not paid zakat for all these years. Despite his mother’s wishes, he has not gone to Hajj. And he has not sent his mother to Hajj either. And now he is left with the memory of his mother’s vows in this yard. And doubts about who will own this house. However, he has not yet responded to the companies. Because a decision has formed within him that perhaps one day he will knock down and build this house himself. He is the only heir to this house. And after him, Taha. Amir Ali is in such hesitation. And he does not respond to the companies’ calls.
This yard is the memory of the bond between two families, one completely political and the other absolutely non-political. A strange bond and an even stranger outcome.
Now Narges is in the hospital in a state between coma and unconsciousness. Perhaps the most memories that remain for her are memories that we have never seen in the series. And we witness them in a fragmentary, brief, and suggestive way in this section. Witness about seven or eight boyfriends at different times after her divorce. And among them, relationships with three who really cheated her and took the last of her money. One who put her car in her name and another her mobile phone line. And one even took her ID card under the pretext of a concubine and a power of attorney to leave the country, and it was Nooshin who warned Narges that you can go abroad legally, why should you get a lawyer? And in short, the stories that we have not seen clearly in the structure of this story so far, except for codes. Here, more than anything, we want to dissect the concept of “repressed memories”. And in the end, Narges only opens her eyes halfway when she imagines that Amir Ali is above her. Amir Ali or Mr. Sarawi. Or both. And it is not clear whether this is an illusion or reality. That’s it. And that’s it.
Author: B. Khosravani
It is recalled that any copying and extraction of these ideas, from an ethical and legal perspective, is only possible by mentioning the address, and use for performance will only be possible if the author’s written consent is obtained.