«Sand Tunnel»; A Narrative of Passing from Fears Towards Mysticism
According to the correspondent of the Iran Book News Agency (IBNA) in Lendeh, Tayebeh Mehdizadeh, on Sunday, discussed the philosophy of writing and the hidden and apparent messages of the book ‘Sand Tunnel’ at its review session, emphasizing the need to pay attention to the inner and mystical world of adolescents in literature.
She stated: In an era when many Iranian adolescents sought happiness in the path of struggle and martyrdom, the hero of our story, Mohammad Reza, is a teenager who, due to a deep-rooted fear, is unable to join this collective movement. To overcome this inner challenge and find a path to success, he pursues developing his talent for eulogy, and in this process, even distances himself from his village and origin to avoid confronting his fears.
Mehdizadeh added: ‘Sand Tunnel’ is the story of the aftermath of this escape and, ultimately, the discovery of the true path to happiness. This story shows how a village boy, despite many fears, can become a hero and even be instrumental in saving lives.
The author of ‘Sand Tunnel’, referring to the importance of adolescents’ place in literature, stated: I believe adolescents possess a vast and mystical world that has received less attention. Adolescents should be regarded not as raw individuals, but as innocent and untouched souls, so one can bravely tell them stories of the spiritual realm. In ‘Sand Tunnel’, I tried not only to tell a story but to take the reader’s hand and lift them from the ground.
Mehdizadeh emphasized the fundamental role of geography in adolescent stories, saying: Geography and history grant identity to humans, and adolescents, more than any other group, are concerned with identity seeking. Therefore, attention to geography in adolescent stories is essential.
She noted, emphasizing the absence of a gap between generations: Yesterday’s, today’s, and tomorrow’s adolescents are all one. Generations are not distant from each other as long as the author addresses issues pertinent to adolescence. Yesterday’s adolescent suffered on the front lines to find their identity and did not easily choose the path of struggle.
This author pointed out: In ‘Sand Tunnel’, I have tried to clarify that identity-seeking has always been, and continues to be, accompanied by many ups and downs for adolescents. Today’s adolescent is not alone on this path and will not be the first.
Mehdizadeh said: This approach creates a sense of empathy in readers and engages adolescents with the story; a story that, although set in distant years and a different context, is written with the same spirit, confusions, and concerns of an adolescent today.
Sand Tunnel; A Story of Fighting
Furthermore, Mojgan Mehrabani, a writer and literary critic from Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad, in her analysis of Tayebeh Mehdizadeh’s novel ‘Sand Tunnel’, called this work a ‘story of fighting’ and said: The hero of the story is not only seeking to preserve his individual identity but is also in search of reviving a national identity that has fallen under foreign domination and influence.
Mojgan Mehrabani, by explaining the hidden layers of the story, considered ‘Sand Tunnel’ a symbol of the common and challenging period of adolescence for all humans.
She stated that the main character of the story is an adolescent named ‘Mohammad Reza’: Mohammad Reza is on the verge of entering the ‘tunnel’ of adolescence; a period not unlike an unknown tunnel, and passing through it is inevitable for everyone.
Mehrabani added: He has moved beyond a vegetative and animalistic stage, and his needs are no longer instinctual and physical. This character is now on the brink of abstraction, having moved past the tangible aspects of life to seek meaning and thought.
This literary critic pointed out: In this story, we encounter a character who seeks his identity and ego, constantly asking himself: Who am I? Who can I be? And how can I become the person I want to be?
In another layer of her analysis, Mehrabani examined the novel’s relation to the concept of war and clarified: Without exaggeration, one can say this narrative is a ‘story of fighting’. In this story, the confrontation between right and wrong and the conflict between colonizer and colonized are clearly visible.
Referring to the symbol of the ‘tunnel’ in the story, she added: In this narrative, there is a tunnel designed by Russian engineers, and the same individuals must return for its repair. This indicates the domination of foreigners over various aspects of society during that era, from industry to culture. When the tunnel malfunctions, the story’s hero, Mohammad Reza, sees no option but to enter the tunnel and confront the darkness. He risks his life to step forward and save his father and others.
This Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad author emphasized: The ‘Mohammad Rezas’ of this story are not solely seeking to preserve their individual identity, but are in search of reviving a national identity that has been subjugated and usurped by foreign influence. They seek liberation and passage from a humiliating era that has cast a shadow over their lives and destinies.
This literary expert, in another part of her speech, discussed the role of family in the story, saying: In ‘Sand Tunnel’, the family is depicted in a traditional and familiar form for the Iranian audience. The mother has a patient, hardworking, and tolerant character, and the father is a symbol of hard work with meager wages. Meanwhile, the sons in the story possess a broader and deeper insight than their fathers.
In response to the question of whether the rural setting and specific characters of the story can resonate with today’s adolescents, Mehrabani said: This literature, despite potential challenges in understanding it, can be an opportunity to discover a new world in which cultural and social values are embedded.
She said: It seems that empathy and interaction with these characters can help adolescents find themselves in the story and achieve a deeper understanding of identity and human experience.
Sand Tunnel: An Influential Narrative of Fear, Hope, and Adolescent Endeavor
Another writer and literary critic, in a note, reviewed the book ‘Sand Tunnel’ and, referring to the work’s potential, emphasized the need to strengthen the connection between titles, narrative rhythm, and the main character’s transformation.
Seyyed Khadijeh Alizadeh noted: In the analysis of published works, changes can only be applied in subsequent editions, and what is presented to the reader today is the final published version of the book.
Referring to the usual process of literary criticism, she said: The analysis of a work begins from the cover image and continues through the title, plot, story’s problem, conflicts, hero and anti-hero, symbols, characterization, atmosphere, and theme; ultimately, the reader concludes what the author’s main intention and message were.
This critic added regarding the theme of the book ‘Sand Tunnel’: This work is written for the young adult age group and is full of feelings of fear, hope, life, death, effort, and confronting fateful choices. The author has been able to narrate these emotions vividly and believably, tangibly showing the path from fear to hope and from doubt to courage.
Alizadeh identified one of the work’s challenges as ‘the stickiness of some titles to the story’s body’ and stated: Some titles, like ‘Yellow Yogurt’, are not convincing for the reader in the end; however, titles like ‘Electric Giant’ completely align with the characterization and atmosphere of the story.
Referring to the beginning of the work, she said: The story’s start with an open and hopeful water stream had some capacity for more excitement, and gradually reaches the ‘Sand Tunnel’, where the reader experiences death, rescue, and transformation.
This critic humorously added: If there was an intention to create more appeal at the beginning of the story, the narrative could have started from the congregational prayer or from the mosque, where Mohammad Reza faces the challenge of apathy.
She considered the main character’s struggle one of the book’s strengths and said: Mohammad Reza passes through several trials throughout the narrative, and this journey is one of the successful aspects of the work.
Alizadeh said: In some sections, the story experiences sudden stops; for instance, where children report on football, and the reader is distanced from the main issue of fear and effort.
Considering the characteristics of young adult readers, she added: Long dialogues are not compatible with the taste of today’s impatient and fast-reading adolescents, and it would have been better for conversations to be more concise and rhythmic.
This critic also commented on symbols, saying: The numbers 110 (killed Sayyids) and 80 (alfalfa branches) are not clear to the reader, and it is unknown whether they are symbolic or innocently included in the text.
Alizadeh identified the book’s most significant weakness as ‘the sudden and unbelievable transformation of Mohammad Reza’s character’ and explained: To make the character’s evolution more believable, the section concerning the burial of martyr Ahmad should have been narrated more extensively. Mohammad Reza’s initial jealousy towards Ahmad could have provided a stronger foundation for his internal transformation, allowing the reader to follow his path of change.
She emphasized the value of the author’s effort and said: ‘Sand Tunnel’ is a work with great potential that has successfully linked the world of adolescents with profound themes such as fear, martyrdom, responsibility, and hope.
