2009, Form B. Many works of literature deal with political or social issues.
Choose a novel or play that focuses on a political or social issue. Then write
an essay in which you analyze how the author uses literary elements to explore
this issue and explain how the issue contributes to the meaning of the work as
a whole. Do not merely summarize the plot.
The entirety of Orhan Pamuk’s My Name Is Red is spent
discussing one of the greatest social issues in history: the clash of cultures.
Pamuk spends the entire story exploring and discussing the perspectives of the
two sides. The cause of murder and intrigue, this clash of culture is extremely
relevant to the modern world and therefore a great choice for this prompt.
Outline:
1.
Identify and describe the social issue
a.
Clash of cultures: new vs. old
b.
The Book of Festivities – question of style
(traditional or Western?)
2.
Literary elements
a.
Makes extensive use of allusions to other works of
Islamic art and literature
i.
Allusions to books (Hüsrev and Shirin), history
(Shah Tamasp), and art (Bihzad)
b.
Anecdotes told from many different characters and
perspectives
i.
Miniaturists: Stork, Olive, Butterfly, Osman
(perspective from artists)
ii.
Storyteller: Dog, Coin, Death, Devil, Horse, etc
(perspective from common people)
3.
Contribution to overall meaning
a.
Explores the different perspectives of the universal
struggle of identification and belonging
b.
Seeks to create understanding between groups
1. Describe the social issue
The clash of culture in the novel is the clash between the
traditional Islamic cultures of the Ottomans and the growing Renaissance of
Italy.
In particular, the main issue surrounding the intrigue at
court is the controversy of The Book of Festivities commissioned by the Sultan,
where the illustrations would be done in the style of the Renaissance instead
of the traditional illuminations. This, of course, is incredibly scandalous and
is the cause of the conflicts that led to the murders of two skilled
illuminators.
2. Literary elements
In discussing the social issue of culture clash, Pamuk makes
extensive use of allusions to other works of Islamic art and literature. In
almost every chapter, especially chapters narrated by the Ottoman miniaturists,
allusions to books such as Hüsrev and Shirin and The Book of Souls
provide deeper insight into Islamic religion and philosophy. We can see this
especially from the relationship between Black and Shekure, where Hüsrev and
Shirin is mentioned numerous times throughout the novel. For example, Black
compared his love to Shekure when she became “stricken with love upon gazing at
Hüsrev’s image” (Pamuk 82), indicating how much importance and power Ottoman
miniaturists place on paintings.
Anecdotes also abound throughout the novel, narrated by
characters such as Enishte Effendi, Master Osman, and the storyteller at the
coffeehouse. In particular, the most important anecdotes that we saw are told
from the miniaturists’ point of view. Stork, Butterfly, and Olive all told
their stories on style, time, and blindness in the viewpoints of the Ottoman
masters of illumination, as an answer to Black’s investigation of the murder.
These anecdotes all show the traditional point of view of the world, that a
perfect picture is without style or signature, that eternity lies in the
appreciation of art, and that blindness is to see the world as Allah intended.
Apart from the miniaturists, however, Pamuk also presented the novel through
the point of view of a storyteller in a coffeehouse, who represents the common
people in opposition to traditions. Through the stories of the dog, horse,
devil, death, and others, the storyteller ridiculed the current situation and
traditions.
3. Contribution to overall meaning
The allusions and anecdotes all serve to explore the
different perspectives of the universal struggle of identification and
belonging. These can also be applied to modern-day clashes between local
cultures and global progress.
The anecdotes and allusions seek to find some understanding
between the two groups, especially the more traditional and conservative party,
since most of the explaining is done by the miniaturists of the Sultan’s court.
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