Unveiling the Elements of a Fairy Tale: An Exploration of Proppian Narrative Functions in A Thousand Splendid Suns

Abstract

In contemporary literature, Khaled Hosseini’s A Thousand Splendid Suns has often been celebrated for its everlasting appeal of storytelling. This study aims to identify the narrative functions of a fairy tale existing in the structure of the novel A Thousand Splendid Suns. To serve this purpose, the study examines the plot of the novel through the lens of Vladimir Propp’s narrative theory presented in Morphology of Folktale. The current research maps the plot development of the novel onto Propp’s narrative schema. Hence, through the rigorous examination of the plot’s schematic description, the findings of the study discern the presence of twenty-one out of twenty-two archetypical functions of a fairy tale. Moreover, the key features of fairy tales, i.e., absentation of parents from their children’s life and the lack of parental affection, are also salient characteristics of this novel, as they play a major role in the progression of the plot. Lastly, by highlighting the subtle existence of fairy tale(s) structures
in the plot, the paper foregrounds the domination, yearning and hope for fairy tales in the real life of human beings. These findings imply a deeper cultural and psychological significance, as they reveal how traditional fairy tale structures continue to resonate with contemporary narratives, bridging timeless storytelling patterns with modern societal issues. This suggests
that such structures provide a universal framework for understanding human experiences, emotions, and resilience in the face of adversity. Finally, the study would be beneficial for all those who want to study and conduct research in the field of Structuralism and narratology.