A Culture Connotation Of 《My Name Is Red》 By Pamuk

Orhan Pamuk, born in Istanbul, is a contemporary Turkish writer. He began writing in 1974 and won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2006 for finding both conflict and reconcilement between civilizations in the process of pursuing his own melancholy soul. Pamuk grew up in Istanbul, a highly westernized area. He was enrolled in an American school, thus inevitably influenced by western culture. Pamuk’s novels are all about Istanbul, a city across Eurasia, with a theme that there are always conflict and collision between the East and West. This theme lasted from his debut to his last political novel. My Name Is Red is one masterpiece of Pamuk, and wins worldwide reputation for him. This paper focuses on the cultural connotations of My Name Is Red.The first chapter focuses on the relationship between Pamuk’s cultural identity and cultural writing. Turkey acts as a dividing line between Europe and Asia. Its particular location and special historical and cultural context result in its unique cultural identity that is not eastern nor western. Pamuk’s hometown Istanbul lies across Europe and Asia. Therefore, Pamuk has been influenced by Islamic culture and the western culture at the same time and formed a writing perspective centering on the hybrid culture of the East and West. The second chapter focuses on the conflict and collision reflected in the novel. The images in the novel, such as the blind, master Osman, the stork, butterflies, and the red color, are all aimed to show the cultural conflict. These symbolic images demonstrate the unacceptable attitude taken by the eastern culture in the face of the infiltration of the western culture as well as the conflict between eastern and Western culture. The third chapter mainly analyses the thought of cultural integration revealed from Pamuk’s novel. An important clue to the plot of the novel is the conflict between two painting styles: the miniature and Venice portrait. This kind of conflict is shown through the opposition between the uncle and master Osman, but after the painful struggle the mutual conversion is finally realized. The uncle is not only strongly against the classic conformism towards tradition, but also opposes the abandonment of the traditional beliefs while learning from the west blindly. Miniature painting itself is a product of multi-culture integration. It is Pamuk’s cultural aspiration to promote cultural integration with an open and inclusive vision. The fourth chapter mainly pays attention to the reflection on cultural conflict and collision between the East and West. Pamuk advocates cultural diversity, showing us the fading of traditional oriental culture, the invasion of the western lifestyle and culture, and the fusion of two cultures. The novel explains that instead of being diametrically opposed, the two cultures can be inclusive and integrated. Thus, cultural diversification can be formed and bring about common prosperity for various cultures.