In Ebrahim Golestan's short story "Esmat's Journey", the lead character, Esmat doesn't really do anything productive to break the cycle of despair. She doesn't find a way out, but rather just finds a different location.

Esmat started off in a situation that no one would ever want to be in. She was a prostitute who was having sex with one of her customers when a man flew in with a knife between his shoulders. He fell on her and died. This situation could bring most people to the point where they don't want to go on living. She decided to go on a pilgrimage to Mecca. This decision looks at first to be a wise, and understandable way of dealing with her problems. However, she winds up walking out of one abusive relationship into another. This fits a very basic psychological idea. People who are in...