The Reflections of Resistance in Symbolic Images of Persian Elementary School Textbooks (A Case Study: Academic Year 2017-2018)

 
 
Abstract 
The issue of combating oppression and aggression is one of the important educational approaches for children and adolescents, which is based on national and religious teachings in the educational topics of Persian elementary school textbooks. Accordingly, the authors of the Persian textbooks have identified national and religious symbols based on resistance and have presented them in those books to provide or strengthen the context of resistance and epic motivations in the minds of children and adolescents in Iran, so that by getting a better understanding of symbols of resistance, they come to recognize their national background and religious beliefs based on resistance and be prepared to fight oppression and aggression. The present study aims to explore the resistance reflections in symbolic images in Persian elementary textbooks, with a descriptive-analytical approach. The research findings show that the authors via various religious, national and conventional symbolic images in the field of myth and history tried to present the reflections of resistance in Persian textbooks. These books have benefited from the symbols arising from the personal, moral and devotional approaches of Imam Ali (AS), the Ashura uprising of Imam Hussein (AS), the sacrifice of warriors and the martyrdom of martyrs, the myth of Rostam Dastan and Arash Kamangir and the historical uprising of Aryobarzan, which play a key role in explaining the concepts to the audience through visual and symbolic language.
 
 
1. Introduction
The study of symbols such as mythological, religious, national, historical and conventional ones have special and valuable roles in the reading of written languages and symbolic images in the field of art and literature, and also in artistic and literary research. It is a kind of communication in which mysterious, intangible and inexpressible meanings are delivered in a vague way. It usually retains its surface structural meaning; that is, symbolic expression is a way of conveying a message with the help of a group of signs (cf. Hosseini, 1997, 17). Symbolism enjoys attraction and effectiveness in traditional and contemporary literature, and is therefore a tool for expressing cultural, social and political realities. The authors of Persian textbooks for elementary school have illustrated the reflections of resistance via an attractive and effective visual and symbolic language to create the spirit of resistance in children and adolescents and empower their epic and defensive spirit against enemies. The authors of these Persian textbooks have used symbolic images based on mythological, religious, national and historical subjects to explain the reflections of resistace and its components. The present study has investigated the Persian elementary textbooks in the academic year 2017-2018( 1396-1397) in Iran through a descriptive-analytical approach. It has been revealed that symbolic religious images have a prominent presence in Persian textbooks in this educational course, and the strengthening of the religious beliefs of children and adolescents with the theme of resistance is the main reason for this frequency and significant presence.
 
2. Discussion
The educational system of Iran following the Islamic Revolution stems from the goals of the Islamic Republic and the approach of the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution in teaching and promoting religious and national values, in which the authors of the textbooks must emphasize the religious values. Accordingly, this study has explored the reflections of resistance based on mythological, religious, national and historical issues in the Persian elementary school textbooks of the academic year 2017-2018 (1396-1397) for further expanding and explaining its values. The personality of children and adolescents is formed during the elementary school years and the educational books play a critical role in completing the structure of their personality and its approaches. Accordingly, the contents of the textbooks and the methods of their expression are important for the purpose of modeling, and it is also important to know the contents of these textbooks and their processing approaches. The present study has examined the themes of resistance from the perspective of symbolic visual and written languages in the studied books, the general and basic titles of which are: 2-1. Religious symbols, 2-2. Ritual symbols; Martyrs, 2-3. Symbols of mythical resistance, 2-4. Historical symbols and 2-5. Conventional symbols.
 
3. Conclusion
Resistance stems from the religious and national identity of nations and is based on their cultural, social, political and economic conditions. Iran, with its territorial position and educated, conscious and believing people, has always been in the focus of the world powers and the target of their attacks in different eras.Accordingly, the authors of textbooks have used the elements of religious and national identity based on the resistance of the Iranian people. So the educational content of Persian text-books in the 2017-2018 academic year (1396-1397) has reflected the reflections of resistance based on religious and national identity in visual and symbolic language to keep the spirit of resistance of Iranian children and adolescents against the enemies alive and strengthened. To convey resistance reflections, the authors have used religious, national, mythical, historical and conventional symbolic images, and have used  the following topics in the studied books: the fighting and defense image of Imam Ali (AS), Imam Hussein (AS) and the Ashura movement, the sacrifice of the Holy Defense martyrs and their bravery, the myth of Rustam and his Seven Barriers (Hafkhan), Arash Kamangir, a symbol of ability to protect the great land of Iran, the character of Aryobarzani Aryobarzan against the invasion of Alexander the Great and the model of resistance of the Iranian people, national anthem and flag, mosque, white pigeon and Damavand Mountain. The findings of this research show that the authors of Persian elementary school textbooks in the academic year 2017-2018(1396-1397) had considered the elements of religious and national identity approximately equal in order to explain the reflections of resistance.