A Comparative Study of the Narrative of “Jonathan Livingston Seagull” and the Story of the Birds in Manteq-Al-Tair, Based on the Glaser’s Choice Theory

Choice theory addresses human behavior by emphasizing accountability in meeting basic needs. The purpose of this paper is to apply this psychological approach to the comparative study of symbolic stories. “Jonathan Livingston Seagull” by Richard Bach (1936) and Manteq-Al-Tair by Attar reveal one of the highest humanitarian concerns, the truth. The present paper, using a descriptive-analytical method, shows that these works share the same aspects of symbolic concepts. Their theme, in spite of the distinction in structure, is the conflict between humans’ possessions and demands. The desire to discover the existential essence under the guidance of guide is an attempt to satisfy the need for freedom and a sense of value. Attar, in the second valley, deals with the necessity of love in conduct, but Bach, in his last words, recounts the importance of this essential need. Another difference in the rate of representation is the intrinsic motives of characters. The narrative of Richard Bach, due to the greater use of the description and the design of the internal dialogue, has a greater ability to be read based on Glaser’s theory.