Influence of Writing Memories about Sacred Defense on the Process of Play Writing

A major part of bright literary works in the form of novels, stories, plays, etc. is created based on the memories narrated or written by the people who were involved in events such as Islamic Revolution and sacred defense. It means that the writer of these works has been either absent in that event or he does not remember the details of that event. And /or basically, he has not faced with considerable points by which he can create the basic plots that results in creation of an acceptable work. Therefore, he has referred to the memories of other people and has created a work by observing, conducting research and getting deep in these memories. Generally speaking, some events are capable to be rich sources for literary and artistic creations for different kinds of artists with different kinds of views and diverse tastes. Here, we how ever mean the imposed war and the sacred defense by mentioning the event.

News ID: ۲۲۴۴۲۰

دوشنبه - ۰۶ دی ۲۰۰۹ / 2009 06 October

Entering into the Atmosphere of Sacred Defense Combatants

Gist:

A major part of bright literary works in the form of novels, stories, plays, etc. is created based on the memories narrated or written by the people who were involved in events such as Islamic Revolution and sacred defense. It means that the writer of these works has been either absent in that event or he does not remember the details of that event. And /or basically, he has not faced with considerable points by which he can create the basic plots that results in creation of an acceptable work. Therefore, he has referred to the memories of other people and has created a work by observing, conducting research and getting deep in these memories.
Generally speaking, some events are capable to be rich sources for literary and artistic creations for different kinds of artists with different kinds of views and diverse tastes. Here, we how ever mean the imposed war and the sacred defense by mentioning the event.

A – Memory Writing; Recording the Events Happening Around

Accepting the fact that literature is divided into two types of imaginary and non- imaginary - or documentary form - writing memories is included in the second type. And as far as considering the value of this type, it is included in the section of written documents or not- published documents of a particular period of time in the history.
Therefore, memory writing – like history writing, biography writing, etc. – is a kind of writing in which the writer makes efforts to narrate the events that he has seen with his own eyes or he has heard with his own ears or he is certain about occurrence of that event. These writings are written in the way that when the audience reads or listens to them he will be able to picture those events on his mind by using his power of imagination.
In this interaction, it is obvious that the writer of the memory or the compiler of the memory should also have the enough power for describing and explaining the events. To this end, the writer should know well the method of writing. Writer should have enough skill and knowledge for using the words and phrases in the service of his writing. And consequently, he will write in the correct way. Therefore, there are usually two general methods of writing in memory writing as it is in biography writing. In the first method, the writer himself writes and narrates his memories. And in the second method, there is a writer who writes and compiles the memories of another person.

B – Sacred Defense, an Event with a Special Importance

Now, we consider a situation in which a person or a number of people have been present in an event and they are willing to narrate what has happened to the people who were not present in that event.
Apart from personal or private motives that cause an event to be recorded and finally remain for ever by being narrated or described, some times one event becomes so important that it involves a large number of people. Such events are important both considering historical point of view and sociological point of view. As a matter of fact, some events are so wide and vast that influence different individual and social aspects in one society as big as a country.

As for such events that historically belong to the contemporary era; we can refer to the victory of Islamic Revolution and then occurrence of the imposed war and the sacred defense. Both of these two events have been fundamental events that were influential on the history of political and social changes of the world. These events have left side effects and results. We can observe these results in the life of people. Literature, culture and art have been also influenced by such events. And artists as well as writers have created art works both during the years of victory of Islamic Revolution and during the years after the victory of Islamic Revolution and the eight years of sacred defense. In the field of literature, these art works both include imaginary works and non- imaginary works. And a major part of these works are written works which are presented in the form of memories.

The interesting point lies where the major part of bright literary works in the form of novels, stories, plays, etc. is created based on the memories narrated or written by the people who were involved in events such as Islamic Revolution and sacred defense. It means that the writer of these works has been either absent in that event or he does not remember the details of that event. And /or basically, he has not faced with considerable points by which he can create the basic plots that results in creation of an acceptable work. Therefore, he has referred to the memories of other people and has created a work by observing, conducting research and getting deep in these memories.

C – Play Writing; a Different Creation

Although play writing is included in the field of imaginary literature and is basically one of the literary types, but it develops in the performance and considering the point of view and analysis of the director and the performing group. Therefore, in creating the literary work, play writing requires a method of characterization that is basically different from characterization in other literary types such as novel and short story. And play writing is doubtlessly more difficult; because characters in a play are not described with lots of patience and capacities that exist for writers of novels and stories; but it is their speeches [dialogues] and actions that forms their characterization. Even in speech, describing the character by the character himself (Except in exceptional cases) is considered as a structural weakness and shows the powerlessness of the writer of the play. Therefore, the writer of the play should first bring the characters – that he wants them to be or their presence is essential – into the world of his work. He should know these characters and have a clear picture with all details about them. They will not be know unless either he has seen them closely in the real world or he has read, heard and seen enough about them. This way and based on the reality, the play writer can create tangible characters that can be believed by the audience. Apart from knowing characters, it is essential for the play writer to have enough information about the event and can analyze its details.

D – Bringing up an Important Question

Now, it is time to bring up an important question. The question is this: What situations does a play writer need if he wants to write a play about sacred defense?
According to what was mentioned in the above, this assumed play writer needs to know the event and people and he should create a suitable dramatic language for writing dialogues. Therefore, this writer should imagine himself in the atmosphere of events of sacred defense in order to be able to change the considered event into dramatic actions and reactions based on this reality and reach to his goal and objective.
Considering the possibility of presence of the play writer during the sacred defense time, one hypothesis is that he has been in this holy battle field. And he recreates the atmosphere of that period of time on his mind by referring to his own memories. He remembers the secondary and main adventures and reviews the dialogues said by the combatants on his mind. Then he starts to write and creates his dramatic work.
Another hypothesis is that the play writer has not been present in the battle fields of the sacred defense. Or a long time passes since this event. And such a thing is impossible in action. In this case, the play writer needs to understand and know about the events, people and other essential elements for writing this dramatic work in order that he is able to present an influential reflection from the great event of sacred defense. Here, it is essential to mention some thing about how an artistic work is created.
In any fields of creation of an artistic work, artists find the materials for creating their artistic works from their surrounding environment. It is true for the artists that believe in reflecting the nature and human as it is (Naturalism and Realism) or the artists that consider the material merely as merely the base for creating artistic works that are included in the non- realistic styles and schools (Symbolism, …) in this categorization.
In both of these two mentioned cases the observation of the artist in his surrounding environment is the origin of creating the art. And I believe that thinkable and valuable artistic works are the result of direct look of the artist. Or they are the result of direct findings [without mediator] of the artist from his surrounding environment. If the surrounding environment is a place for historical events or it is related to close or far past, the artist should work out his required material from the memories of trustworthy people. Except these mentioned situations, the art works that are created based on the experience of creation of other people are so called the second hand works. And in other words, they are cliché works.
Considering this fact, in all fields, in general, and in the field of creating plays, the artist or the writer should necessarily act precisely and appropriately in the stage of observation. And if it is not possible to observe the even in action, the writer of the play should refer to the memories narrated by the people who have touched and experienced that event. It is the best and some times the only possible way.

E – Solutions and Strategies

In order to benefit from the memories of people who have remained from sacred defense, entering fully into the atmosphere of combatants’ memories is the first step for the play writer. These combatants include the respected and honorable martyrs, Azadehgan [released war captives], Janbazan [war wounded people] and the people who were present in that event [sacred defense] and later they made efforts to record these events with different motives.
Fortunately, different centers and foundations have presented many works in the field of recording and publishing memories of sacred defense. And it is not very difficult to access these works. Therefore, if a writer wants to write a work related to the sacred defense, he can find a sea of recorded memories about that glorious period of time. And the play writer can benefit from this sea very much. We should not how ever forget the fact that it is also possible for us, at the present time, to listen to the memories about sacred defense from the people who have themselves experienced the imposed war.
In the stage of writing the work, there are also different ways for working out different elements from memories considering the principles of adaptation.
Some times, there are some memories that are so attractive and have unique top and down points out of which strong plots for writing a play can be obtained by making little changes in them. And some times, a plot is worked out of a memory that has no common point with the referred memory at the first look; but it has been able to give the play writer a different and new understanding.
In this part of the article, I introduce and study three important elements of play writing by giving examples of the published memories. These three elements are namely plot, characterization and dialogue writing. In this part, I intend to attract the attention of the people who are interested in writing plays in this field to the best first hand sources of narrating sacred defense:

1 – Plot

Plot is one of the important elements of play. The main path of adventures in the play becomes clear in the plot of the play. Relationships become also clear in the plot of the play. We can hope that a dramatic work with favorable structure is created if the plot is strong enough and has important elements such as suspension as well as suitable top point, beginning point and the end inside it.
Potentially, memories have suitable plots for creating such structures. Please pay attention to the examples that are mentioned in the following:

“They threw all of us into a room that had no windows. And there was merely one small window on the iron – made door. They came, looked at us from that little window on the door and went several times till the morning. Maybe they were afraid that we make a hole in the walls and run away.
It was cold inside the room. “Salahi”? and I covered our bodies with one of the Iraqi blankets. I fell asleep for about one hour and I dreamed. I dreamed that there was a very big place. I had put my head on my knees and I was crying with a loud voice. At that time, one person came and moved his hand on my head and asked: “Why are you crying?”?. Without raising my head, I felt that the person who was standing above my head had a bright face. I answered: “Don’t you see? We have been captured by the enemy.”?
I showed him the injury caused by the handcuffs on my hand. I told him: “They annoy us very much.”?
Clean your tears! Don’t cry! Don’t be afraid! They can not do any thing. You will go to Iran again, he said with a peaceful voice.”?

In the above mentioned example and apart from the path of the adventure that forms the plot, making atmosphere helps the power of imagination and creates different ideas on the mind of the writer for writing the play.
Please pay attention to another example which is related to the first days of war and freeing Khorramshahr:

“Customs Office had its own adventures. The packages of goods had become problems. You went and saw that there were some people behind the packages of goods. And you would be caught in problem by the time you could recognize and make sure whether they were Iraqi or Iranian. These packages of goods were good in one aspect; because they stopped the Iraqis. They could not just move ahead. In another aspect, these packages of goods were bad; because the Iraqis hid behind them easily. …
For three days, Iraqis did every thing to get the control of the Customs Office, but they could not. They moved ahead from all directions; but our guys moved towards them from one path and went to their back. And then they were scared and emptied the Customs Office again. The Customs Office might be controlled by the Iraqis and taken back by our forces for 10 times. The city had become almost destroyed.
They had opened big and constant fire on “Jannat Abad”? with the artillery. The martyrs were taken to Abadan City. The hospital had also become completely out of use. There was no water and electricity. Combatants could drink some water even if some times some people like “Behnam Mohammadi”? brought water from the “Sahtt”? [River], unless our guys did not find any water to drink.”?
We can find attractive plots for creating a play in the above mentioned example. The people whose names are mentioned in this memory can be the main characters of the work that is created and is called “Character Oriented Works”? in the world of play.
The narrators of the memories are usually present in the event. And they are the people who describe or write the memories. Therefore, their behavior and speeches lead the reader to different and deep layers of their characters. As a matter of fact, their behavior and speeches show their outside and inside world to the reader of the play. From the other side, the people who are described by the narrator of the memory are his close fiends or companions in most of cases. And in different parts of narrating the memory, different parts of their character has been described. And if a writer intends to write a play based on these characters, he can put different pieces next to each other and find an almost clear picture of that character at the end.
Some times, the memory is narrated in a way that the compiler of the memory – like the writer of the novel – describes the main character of the memory.
Please pay attention to the example in the following:

“Seyed Ali Akbar was born in Ghom City; but his family took his Identification Card from Taleghan City. He finished his fifth grade of primary school in Ghom City. He finished the sixth grade of primary school in Ghazvin City. After going back to Ghom again, he studied Mathematics in “Din o Danesh va Hakim Nezami”? High School. He received his diploma from this high school. His high and great genius caused his uncle – Hojjat ol Eslam Seyed Ali Gharavi – to suggest him to depart for Germany and continue education with his financial support; but “Aboutorabi”? liked to enter “Hozeh Elmieh”? [Religious school]. In order to be away from his uncle’s insistence, “Aboutorabi”? asked for permission from his father and went to Holy Mashad City. In this city, “Aboutorabi”? started to learn religious lessons.
Years of studying in “Navagh”? School of Mashad City was very hard for him. Since he received a low amount of money from the school, he was forced to buy “Sangak”? bread [A kind of Iranian bread] and dry it and then eat it. Most of time, these pieces of dried bread were the only food that he ate.
But he participated actively and very enthusiastically in the discussions with other students and teachers about the topics of the lessons. He was one of the intelligent and famous students of “Navvab”? School. The night before being clothes in the special clothes of clergymen, he doubted whether he deserved wearing these clothes or not. The same night he saw a strange dream. He saw that he had stood next to the tomb of his grand father – Ayatollah Seyed Mohammad Bagher Alavi Ghazvini- and his tomb was suddenly opened. He saw that clear water with beautiful red fishes came out of the middle of the tomb. And the body of his grand father came out of the tomb to the surface of the water with the movement of the water towards up. The body of his grand father was floating on the water and the beautiful fishes swam around his body.”?

2 – Characterization

“Characterization”? is one of the other elements in creating the play that is of high importance. The play writer should know the hidden and clear angles of the characters that he is bringing into the world of play. The parts of characteristics of these characters that are needed should be used by the play writer in creating the play. He should picture their characteristics in their actions and dialogues based on the plot of the play. Having a very tighter field compared to the world of novel and even the world of short story is one of the difficulties that the play writer has in writing his play. The play writer can not introduce the characters of the play by themselves or other characters; but he needs to have abilities in the field of writing dialogues. I will discuss about “Dialogue Writing”? it in the next part of this article.
When a play writer reads and reviews the memories of the people who have been present in an event, it becomes possible for the play writer to feel being present in the event if he has not been able to be present at that event. It is achieved through narration of the memory. By reading the memory, the play writer obtains information about the characteristics of the people who have been present in that particular event. Please pay attention to the example at the following:

“By the way, “Amir Khajeh Afzali was in this battalion too. I found him in his own place. He had collected his stuff and had put the knapsack of first aid on his shoulder. He was looking for one pair of his boots. He took out a lot of papers and letters from him knapsack. He said: “These are the letter that my family has sent to me. Now they have been delivered to me once.”?
Amir was a sociable person. He fell behind the group while working; but he does not receive a blow. It is a good and cheerful point. He liked to come to “Malek”? Battalion. I heard a piece of cheerful news about him. I heard that his father and mother had come to the door of the garrison in order to meet with him. The combatant who had witnessed the event told me that Amir’s father and mother wanted to travel to “Yazd”? City; then they changed their minds and intended to travel to “Andimeshk”? in order that they may visit Amir. God has really given patience to this family and this child. Considering all the spiritual problems and having that little body as well as this much difficulties that he faces with in “Hamzeh”? Battalion, he still resists. He was in the attack company in “Mehran”? battle field a few days ago. It is while he is doing another job in this battalion.”?

In the example of memory that you read above, the narrator of the memory has described important parts of the characteristics of “Amir Khajeh Afzali”?. The narrator has given explanations that can be very important for the play writer. If a play writer is willing to write a dramatic work based on such a character, he will certainly conduct researches and completes his information about this character or characters similar to this particular character.

Please pay attention to another example in the following. It is written about Iranian women captives:

“Sedigheh Fayyazi was the university student in the course of “Nursing”?. She worked in the operating room since the beginning of war. She helped me a lot. She taught me the names of equipment in the operating room. She also taught me how to work with these equipments. “Sedigheh”? worked with a high speed when the surgery started. And many times she became nervous. She reminded with a loud voice when she observed any carelessness. She took the job very serious and did not lose any chance. …”?
It is obvious that the information mentioned about the people in memories is very valuable; because this information is the result of direct observation and far from the imaginations of the narrators of the memory. That is why this information is of high importance for the play writers.

3 – Dialogue Writing

After formation of the plot or the adventure as well as knowing and processing the characters, the result of the efforts made by the play writer appears in “Dialogue Writing”?.
It is necessary to know that “Dialogue”? is not merely every day conversations; but a powerful pen [Ability and art of writing] is required that ordinary conversations are changed into “Dialogues”?.
As an example, a good dialogue has some characteristics. As for these characteristics; we can refer to the followings: Dialogue develops the adventure and moves it ahead. Dialogue introduces the characters and appears the inner and outer challenges of the characters and …
Listening to the every day conversations and recording them on the memory of play writer is the first condition for understanding the dialogue. The play writer has a hearing ear and accurate listening in his surrounding environment. And even some writers carry little note books in which they write down the attractive every day conversations that they hear on the street. If there is a writer who has not closely – and by himself - heard the special conversations carried during the special events such as sacred defense, he can refer to the memory writers. Memory writers have quoted these conversations. These memory writers have met an important part of needs of the play writer in this regard. Please pay attention to the example at the following:

“Behrouz and the Lieutenant went to the Colonel. The Colonel had lain inside the stronghold. The stronghold was inside the garden next to the bridge.
- Mr Colonel! There is no one in the city. Only a few of guys from the city have stayed. The Iraqis have moved ahead till “Shohada”? [Martyrs] Square. Think of a solution please!
- What do we do? 600 men have come to the behind of the bridge. There is no way.
- Mr Colonel! We should stand against them tonight too. At least tell the guys not to leave the bridge. Don’t they ever leave us here!
- No. Make sure that I will inform you if some thing new happens.
Behrouz and the Lieutenant came back to the soldiers. The Lieutenant divided his group and put some soldiers on every alley from “Darvazeh”? Square [Darvazeh means the gate of the city] to the bridge. Behrouz felt better and safer. It was possible to rest for a short time; but they were too tired. They went to the residence of the soldiers who had been trained for attack and difficult operations. It was near the Great Mosque. Two hours had not passed yet that the Lieutenant came.
- Mr Moradi! Mr Moradi! I have been looking for you for one hour. Don’t you know what has happened?
- No. What has happened?
- The Colonel has said we should withdraw.
- It is late now. We should inform any one who is in the city. The city should empty before rising of the sun.
- Why should we all leave the city? There are forty men in here. Do you know what “40 people”? mean?
- It is a command. What do I do you say?
- What is command? What a command is this? The command for withdrawal should be issued on its right time. Half of the city is still under the control of our forces. Where do we go? Go and tell the Colonel to send forces.
- I told him. He says that no men would come. He says that the bridge can be seen and fired by the Iraqis. And the trained soldiers want to go to the other side of the water.”?

I emphasize again that the mentioned phrases are almost real conversations that have been carried inside the event. And the narrator of the memory has edited them a little. These conversations have this important characteristic that they show the nature of the event as it is and as it has happened; because in creation of a play, the play writer certainly processes these conversations and phrases in a special way in order to change these conversations into dialogues.

Writer: Rahmat Amini , A Member of Scientific Board in Faculty of Art and Architecture