Abstract:
Certain approaches in the sociology of literature regard the novel as a reflection of everyday life within the literary sphere. Consequently, novels hold significant value in sociological studies of literature. Female authors, in particular, have consistently reflected the conditions of women’s lives across different historical periods in their works. Among these authors is Belghis Soleimani, who in her novel Bazi-ye Akhar-e Banoo narrates the life story of a woman across various stages of her life, intertwined with the political and social transformations of society.In this study, based on the theory of Pierre Bourdieu — the prominent French sociologist and critic — the positions of women, the types of capital possessed by female characters, and the fields in which women engage to acquire greater capital are examined. Applying Bourdieu’s framework enables a deeper analysis of the underlying layers of the literary text, a study of its social dimensions, and a more scholarly interpretation of the novel.The findings indicate that the most prominent field women enter is the field of knowledge, while the most pervasive field is that of politics. In acquiring capital, women tend to prioritize mutual support and empathetic interactions over competitive behaviors. Furthermore, attaining high levels of cultural capital can lead to the acquisition of symbolic, social, and even economic capital, ultimately enabling a change in one’s social class.