A Study Of Identity Construction In Orhan Pamuk's Snow From The Perspective Of Thirdspace

Orhan Pamuk (1952-), widely acknowledged as one of the three most nuclear writers in Europe, has edged himself to the most famous literati in modern Turkey. In 2006, he won the Nobel Prize in literature for his My Name is Red. Pamuk received a good western education, which decided his views on religion and his political tendency. He owes extensive historical and cultural knowledge, enriching the content of his novels and injecting them with more political wisdom. He uses Turkish history, traditions, religion and culture as elements to present the panorama of modern Turkey. His works reflect distinct post-modern style with cosmic synchronization and fragmentization as creating elements, most of them depicting Turkey and Turkish people in a clear melancholy mood.This thesis attempts to interpret identity construction in Pamuk's Snow from the perspective of Thirdspace theory. Snow, published in 2002, attracts a lot of attention both for its being Pamuk's self-avowed only political novel in his life, and for its intricate content and vivid characterization. By employing Edward Soja's Thirdspace theory as a crisis-solving method, the thesis tries to make a thorough inquiry about Pamuk's seeking for identity construction by analyses of the novel's plots and characters'fate.Chapter one focuses on the Muslim Group, consisting of both moderate Muslims and radical Islamists, who are trapped in identity crisis. They are devoted to highlighting their Islamic features and protecting them from westernizing transformation. Mainly concentrating on the physical world and visual signs, they are more used to seeing the world from Firstspace perspective. In fear of being affected by secularism and westernization tide, Muslims, especially Islamists emphasize the importance of Islamic practices, dress code and Ottoman traditions in order to save them. Some steps taken by them are effective and beneficial, while others, being excessive, intensify the contradictions between Islamists and secularists.Chapter two, probing into the camp of secularists, focuses on the ways in which they attempt to get rid of Turkish people's traditional and religious identities while exacerbating identity alienation. Succeeding political stands of Kemal Ataturk, a lot of secularists are actually Ataturkists. Instead of assimilating the quintessence of western civilization, they are fanatically following Ataturk's thoughts and producing lots of monstrous ideologies. An excessive emphasis on dominating people's ideas indicates a Secondspace mode of thinking. By launching radical secular policies and manipulating the press, the secular state suppresses the Islamists and Kurds, resulting in severe social crisis and identity alienation.Chapter three, taking liberal democrats like the main protagonist Ka as targets of analysis, researches their pursuits of constructing Turkey's nationalism and promoting modern Turkish identity reconstruction. Different from secularists analyzed in Chapter two, secular intelligentsia, represented by Ka, supports democracy and seeks for happiness. Inspecting the world from Thirdspace perspective, they look forward to adding the two elements into Turkey's nationalism and they are eager to see a multi-cultural and multi-ethnical Turkey. Thirdspace, with its open minded features, serves as an effective solution in dealing with Turkish identity crisis and it also corresponds to Pamuk's hopes for diversities in identity reconstruction.The last part serves to conclude the whole thesis and reaffirm its argument. Different from Pamuk's previous works, Snow shows Pamuk's sympathy and supports with Muslims who are featured of individuality and modernity. Interpreted from Thirdspace perspective, this research is different from the usual studies, for instance, those based on feminism, history, postmodernism, etc. This thesis, to some extent, enriches the research of this novel and helps to dig its profound meaning and illustrate Pamuk's multiple intention of writing. In addition, this thesis hopes to encourage more in-depth and unique interpretation of Snow and other works written by Pamuk.