The Sacred and the Profane: A Reading of Pamuk’s Snow

Abstract

Abstract

This paper tries to map the Turkish society as depicted in Orhan Pamuk’s novel Snow. The Turkish society represents in miniature the subterranean conflicts between the forces of Pro-West modernity and traditional religiosity which looks at progress from a different perspective. Turkey represents the classic case of a great Empire being subjugated by the west in modern times till its independence under Mustafa Kemal Pasha whose followers are known as Kemalites. Musafa Kemal Pasha was a ruler who deeply believed that Turkey should mimic the West European countries so much so that he banned the teaching of Arabic in schools. Consequently, a generation grew up who, on the one hand were pulled towards Western concept of progress and on the hand were attracted towards the traditional religious tenets of Islam. This paper reflects on the volatile nature of the conflict between the two systems of progress.