Representation of Language, Power, and Identity in the Isfahani Folk Tale “Parichehr” and the European Tale “Snow White” from the Perspective of Sociolinguistics

Abstract

Introduction

Sociolinguistics, as an interdisciplinary field bridging linguistics and sociology, investigates the relationship between language and social structures, viewing language as a socio-cultural phenomenon that reflects identity, power, and ideology (Fairclough, 1995, p. 22; Fishman, 1972, p. 9). By analyzing linguistic variation, communicative acts, and social discourses, this field demonstrates how language contributes to both reproducing and resisting social norms and power hierarchies (Hymes, 1974, p. 13). This study adopts a sociolinguistic framework, utilizing Fairclough’s critical discourse analysis to conduct a qualitative examination of the Isfahani folk tale Parichehr and the Seven Dwarfs and compare it with the classic tale of Snow White. Both macro-level (ideological and power representation) and micro-level (characters’ linguistic actions) analyses are employed to clarify the interaction between language, identity, and power.
The research addresses the following questions:
1.How does language function in Parichehr and the Seven Dwarfs, and what roles does it play in representing power, identity, and social norms?
2.Which discursive elements in this tale are similar to or different from those in Snow White?
3.How does language shape social interactions and character relationships within the narrative?
4.What indicators of cultural and social norms, such as beauty, jealousy, and gender, are conveyed through language in this tale?
 

Methodology

This study draws on Norman Fairclough’s framework of Critical Discourse Analysis (Fairclough, 1989, p. 23), which examines the dialectical relationship among language, power, and identity across three levels of analysis:
1.Textual Analysis: Examining the vocabulary, syntactic structures, and speech styles of the characters.
2.Discursive Practice: Investigating how meaning is produced and reproduced within cultural and communicative contexts.
3.Social Practice: Exploring how ideologies and power structures are reflected in linguistic actions.
This integrative framework enables the examination of the interrelations among language, power, and identity both at the level of individual dialogues and within the broader cultural structure of society.
 

Discussion

1-3.Language as an Instrument of Power and Domination
In this section, the analysis and interpretation of findings are conducted based on six main analytical axes of the study:
1.Language as an instrument of power and domination
2.Language and the discourse of identity
3.Language and gender
4.Language as an agent of socialization and interaction
5.Language, magic, and deception
6.Language, justice, and revenge
First, these axes are examined in the local Isfahani folktale Parichehr and the Seven Dwarfs to reveal their linguistic structures, speech styles, and socio-cultural reflections. Then, using a comparative and sociolinguistic approach, the same axes are analyzed in the European tale Little Snow-White to identify points of convergence and divergence between local and global narratives.
1-1-3. Both Parichehr and the Seven Dwarfs and Little Snow-White illustrate how language functions as a tool of power, control, and social hierarchy in folktales. In Parichehr, the heroine’s simple, polite, and transparent speech reflects honesty and moral capital, enabling her to negotiate crises and assert identity, while the stepmother’s imperative, exaggerated, and self-centered language enforces dominance and social control. Dialogues with dwarfs and the mirror further reveal language as a medium of solidarity, moral legitimacy, and social mediation.
Similarly, in Little Snow-White, the Queen’s commanding and manipulative speech acts consolidate psychological power, restrict freedom, and enact coercion, while Snow White and the dwarfs’ cooperative, supportive language represents social harmony and moral order. Iconic phrases-such as the mirror’s evaluation and descriptive imagery of Snow White-demonstrate the symbolic and normative function of language, reproducing cultural hierarchies and ethical ideals. Overall, both narratives show that language is not merely communicative but a performative and strategic instrument, capable of exerting dominance, shaping perception, reinforcing morality, and mediating social and ethical structures.
2-3.Language and the Discourse of Identity
Individual and collective identity are shaped through linguistic discourse and reproduced within cultural interactions. According to Hall (1996, p. 4), identity is a discursive, fluid process defined within social relationships. Fairclough (1992, p. 65) also views language as a primary arena for representing and stabilizing social identities.
1-2-3.In Parichehr and the Seven Dwarfs
Language serves as a key tool for representing and stabilizing character identities. Each speech act reflects both meaning and the social position of the speaker. Parichehr, through simple, honest, and polite language, establishes her identity as noble, innocent, and responsible. Her dialogue with the hunter demonstrates language as a substitute for violence, becoming a tool for ethical and social negotiation:
Don’t kill me; hunt an animal instead and bring its heart and liver to the stepmother. Take my pearl necklace for yourself in return.” (Faroughi, 1978, p. 90)
Conversely, the stepmother uses self-centered, competitive language to construct a dominance-oriented identity. The mirror functions as a discursive tool, allowing her to reinforce hierarchical superiority and marginalize others:
“Oh! How beautiful I am. No one is as beautiful as me.” (ibid., p. 89(
Overall, language in this tale operates at individual, moral, and social levels: Parichehr’s speech consolidates ethical and humane identity; the stepmother enforces a power-driven identity; and the dwarfs’ collective speech reflects social cohesion. Each character’s discourse mirrors their position within the story’s social and cultural system.
2-2-3.In Little Snow-White
Snow White’s simple, honest, and innocent speech constructs a pure, noble, and vulnerable identity:
My name is Snow White. My stepmother wanted to kill me, but the hunter spared me, and I ran until I found your house.
In contrast, the Queen uses repetitive, manipulative language to assert dominance, measuring her social power against others:
Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?
Snow White’s interactions with the dwarfs illustrate collective and social identity, where cooperative language and assigned responsibilities stabilize her social role. Descriptions like “white as snow, red as blood, black as ebony” create an idealized cultural identity, contrasting the Queen’s jealous and power-driven persona.
3-3.Language and Gender
Contemporary approaches view language as a mechanism for producing and representing gender, not merely reflecting biological differences (Butler, 1990; Tannen, 1990; Coates, 2013)
1-3-3.Parichehr and the Seven Dwarfs
Language constructs gender identities: Parichehr’s polite, honest speech reflects traditional feminine traits such as nobility, empathy, and responsibility, while the stepmother’s competitive, power-driven language expresses dominance and jealousy. The dwarfs’ speech emphasizes collective male roles based on care, order, and social cohesion.
2-3-3.Little Snow-White
Snow White’s polite, direct language represents innocence and morality, whereas the Queen’s commanding and jealous language asserts dominance and social control. Interactions and tasks reinforce social and gender roles, showing language as a tool for shaping gendered identities and cultural norms.
4-3. Language as a Tool of Socialization and Interaction
Parichehr: Language mediates relationships, social roles, and identity. Dialogues with dwarfs create solidarity and inclusion, while interactions with the hunter help navigate power and survival. Even silences and gestures function as meaningful social acts.
Snow White: Language facilitates trust, social integration, and adherence to norms. Polite, respectful speech enables her to gain acceptance and navigate new social environments, reflecting socialization processes and reinforcement of collective rules. Symbolic descriptions also encode cultural values and social positioning.
5-3.Language, Magic, and Deception
In Parichehr and the Seven Dwarfs, language functions as a tool of manipulation and control. The stepmother uses seemingly kind and persuasive speech to approach Parichehr in disguise, demonstrating how language can alter fate, enforce power, and seduce or deceive.
In the story Little Snow-White, language, in addition to its social and identity functions, also appears as a tool of magic, deception, and exertion of power. The stepmother uses speech and language to consolidate her authority and, through deception, aims to threaten Snow White’s position. In this story, language is not merely a means of communication but a tool for psychological influence, controlling others, and guiding their behavior.
 
4.Conclusion
Critical discourse analysis of the tale Parichehr and the Seven Dwarfs reveals that language in this narrative is not merely a medium of storytelling but a fundamental mechanism for the reproduction and contestation of power. The discourse of Zan-Baba/the Queen, employing strategies of disparagement, exclusion, and evaluative labeling, enacts a symbolic form of linguistic violence, drawing its authority from social recognition and cultural hegemony. In contrast, Parichehr’s language, as a discourse of resistance grounded in ethical and justice-oriented values, challenges dominant norms and enables the redefinition of feminine identity within a moral and collectivist framework. The dwarfs’ language functions as a discourse of solidarity, creating a dialogic space that mediates between domination and resistance. Comparison with Snow White indicates that, in Western discourse, truth is institutionalized as an external and absolute reference (the mirror), whereas in the Iranian cultural context, the legitimacy of truth emerges from internal relationships, kinship, and collective dialogue. From this perspective, Iranian discourse, unlike the individualistic European model, is collectivist, ethically oriented, and internally generated. Therefore, language in Parichehr and the Seven Dwarfs constitutes a symbolic field in which linguistic capital, legitimate power, and ethical resistance intersect in the reproduction or transformation of cultural structures.
Keywords: Sociolinguistics, Isfahani folk tale, Parichehr and the Seven Dwarfs, Snow White.