이질적인 두 대륙인 유럽과 아시아 사이에 자리한 터키의 문화적 정체성은 그의 독특한 지정학적 위치의 영향을 끊임없이 받아 왔다. 이는 터키 문학사에 길이 남을 작가 중의 한 사람인 오르한 파묵(Orhan Pamuk, 1952～)을 이해하는 데 중요한 실마리가 된다. 그의 모든 작품들 예컨대, 첫 소설인 1982년의 『제브데트씨와 아들들, Cevdet Bey ve Oğulları』로부터 『고요한 집, Sessiz Ev』(1983), 『하얀 성, Beyaz Kale』(1985), 『흑서(黑書), Kara Kitap』(1990), 『새로운 인생, Yeni Hayat』(1994) 그리고 1998년의 장편 소설 『나의 이름은 빨강, Benim Adım Kırmız』에 이르기까지의 작품들에서 볼 수 있는 공통된 모티브는 터키인 주인공과 이국인 등장인물들 혹은 더 나아가 동양과 서양의 대비를 통해 터키의 정체성을 탐구하는 것이었다. 터키의 동․서양 갈등 및 조화 문제는 18세기부터 현재까지 많은 사상과들과 예술가들에 의해 긍정 및 부정적으로 평가되어 왔으며 논쟁의 대상이 되고 있다. 이렇듯 터키 사상사들과 예술가들에게 있어서 끊임없는 논쟁 대상이었던 양대 문화 및 문물 중 서양적인 가치를 추구하려는 정책 즉, 서구화 정책이 정부의 주도하에 입법화된 것은 탄지마트 칙령(Tanzimat Hayriye, 1839, 11, 3, 개혁 칙령)이 그 발단이라 할 수 있다. 이 탄지마트 칙령의 공포 이후 서양을 모델로 한 정치적, 법률적, 문화적 측면에서 급속한 변화가 나타났으며, 당시로서는 성공적이라 할 수 있는 결과를 얻게 되었다. 그러나 이에 대한 자연스런 결과로 터키에 이미 토착되었던 동양적인 가치들과 서구 문명 및 문화적 가치들이 서로 대치하는 양상이 터키 전반에 걸쳐 표출되기 시작했다. 이것은 서구화로 인한 변화와 기존의 가치관(동양적인 가치관이 토대가 된) 사이의 커다란 불균형과 이질감이었고, 이는 당연히 지식인들의 중요한 논쟁거리가 되었다. 터키의 동․서양갈등 및 조화 문제를 집중적으로 연구한 사상가 균교르(Erol Güngör)는 이러한 논쟁이 계속 이어지고 있는 원인은 “터키가 여전히 서구화(현대화)를 성취하지 못했기 때문”이라고 지적하고 있다. 이렇게 이어져 온 동․서양 갈등 및 조화 문제는 사회적, 사상적, 문화적 측면뿐만 아니라 터키 문학 특히 소설 분야의 중요한 소재가 되고 있다. 문학이 사회의 사고 방식을 반영하고 또한 사회의 사고 방식을 수립하는 매체라 할 때 문학 작품 속에서 동․서양 문제를 다루는 것은 자연스럽고 당연한 결과라 할 수 있다. 이 글에서 다루고자 하는 파묵의 소설 『하얀 성』은 현재까지 발표된 그의 여섯 편의 소설들 중 동․서양 갈등 및 조화 문제를 가장 두드러지게 다룬 작품이라 할 수 있다. 그는 이 소설에서 동양인과 서양인을 함께 등장시켜, 서로 다른 두 세계 혹은 두 문화를 대비시키면서 터키가 안고 있는 정체성의 문제를 집요하게 탐구하고 있다.

When it is considered that one role of literature is to reflect the ideologies of a society and another is to help a society establish itself, it is no wonder that East-West issues have served as the major theme among so many Turkish writers. Since the onset of “Westernization”, in fact, East-West issue have become one of the most significant matters for the hole country. It has never been simple for this country, bordered by two totally distinct cultures, to find a particularly “Turkish” way to reconcile its separate culture. Many comparative studies have been undertaken, and have become the main theme of literature, specially in the novels. In fact that Orhan Pamuk, a famous novelist, wrote constantly about the East and West reflects the reality of Turkey. The reason Pamuk in particular is receiving so much attention from critics these days, however, is that, unlike other writes, he doesn’t dwell on the traditional formula that “Westernization” means “immoralization”, or the conflict between materialistic and spiritual values. Instead, he has moved on to suggest alternatives that reflect modern times. He deals with Eastern and Western issues in depth based on the history of Turkey and lives of turkish people. At the same time, he attempts various experiments in style and form to satisfy the intellectual curiosity of the readers. In his novel “The White Castle”, Pamuk wants to depict what blind believers of Westernization were like, which was the mainstream of the time, through Hoca, a Turkish master who doesn’t trust anything about the East and criticizes it. It should be observed that to an Italian servant, who represent the West, The East is not as Hoca views it. It shouldn’t be ignored that The Pamuk is suggesting how to live with harmony and reconcile the two different culture, by describing the life of the servant, who lived happily with the Turkish people, who Hoca contemptuously called idiots. It can be said that the writers is trying to send the message that balance should be kept when understanding the essence of the cultures, as mentioned earlier about the elements that symbolize the East and the West. That is, Pamuk wants to emphasize the fact that the Western servant held positive views about the East and thought Hoca was overwhelmed with prejudices, while Hoca was cynical about the East and thought the Orientals were stupid and ignorant. Also, the writer wanted to say the great and overwhelming power of the West definitely has its limitation, by concluding that the great and overwhelming “weapons”, which symbolize the West were not effective in the war. At in all, the true meaning of the novel can be condensed into the unity of two cultures, in that the superiority of one culture is negated. According to Sultan, one character in the novel, “Every life resembles another”. It can’t be said that any person’s life from a different world is more special and meaningful. In other words, everyone has the potential to lead his/her own happy life in another culture. Pamuk, seems to be tacitly implying that The East and the West, though the history of the world, must or are destined to be closely interrelated and interact, and that the East could be the West and vice virsa. Pamuk once said that it doesn’t matter if he’s Oriental or European. It might be that the East and the West are ultimately something similar or alike, rather than opposite and contradictory, considering “the other self” motive, which is the most significant one this novel. What’s important is that we are all human-beings, who try to understand each other, before we are Eastern or Western. In conclusion, “The White Castle” is a novel that tries to seek and understand the identity of the East and the West through two characters from two different cultures, based on history, and at the same time an introspective novel on who we are, what we want, and how we can be happy. Pamuk’s claim that “The East shouldn’t be the East, and the West shouldn’t be the West” is the ultimate motive of the novel. As Sultan remarks “Probably one’s real ruin results from trying to imitate the other, thinking it is superior.”

When it is considered that one role of literature is to reflect the ideologies of a society and another is to help a society establish itself, it is no wonder that East-West issues have served as the major theme among so many Turkish writers. Since the onset of “Westernization”, in fact, East-West issue have become one of the most significant matters for the hole country. It has never been simple for this country, bordered by two totally distinct cultures, to find a particularly “Turkish” way to reconcile its separate culture. Many comparative studies have been undertaken, and have become the main theme of literature, specially in the novels. In fact that Orhan Pamuk, a famous novelist, wrote constantly about the East and West reflects the reality of Turkey. The reason Pamuk in particular is receiving so much attention from critics these days, however, is that, unlike other writes, he doesn’t dwell on the traditional formula that “Westernization” means “immoralization”, or the conflict between materialistic and spiritual values. Instead, he has moved on to suggest alternatives that reflect modern times. He deals with Eastern and Western issues in depth based on the history of Turkey and lives of turkish people. At the same time, he attempts various experiments in style and form to satisfy the intellectual curiosity of the readers. In his novel “The White Castle”, Pamuk wants to depict what blind believers of Westernization were like, which was the mainstream of the time, through Hoca, a Turkish master who doesn’t trust anything about the East and criticizes it. It should be observed that to an Italian servant, who represent the West, The East is not as Hoca views it. It shouldn’t be ignored that The Pamuk is suggesting how to live with harmony and reconcile the two different culture, by describing the life of the servant, who lived happily with the Turkish people, who Hoca contemptuously called idiots. It can be said that the writers is trying to send the message that balance should be kept when understanding the essence of the cultures, as mentioned earlier about the elements that symbolize the East and the West. That is, Pamuk wants to emphasize the fact that the Western servant held positive views about the East and thought Hoca was overwhelmed with prejudices, while Hoca was cynical about the East and thought the Orientals were stupid and ignorant. Also, the writer wanted to say the great and overwhelming power of the West definitely has its limitation, by concluding that the great and overwhelming “weapons”, which symbolize the West were not effective in the war. At in all, the true meaning of the novel can be condensed into the unity of two cultures, in that the superiority of one culture is negated. According to Sultan, one character in the novel, “Every life resembles another”. It can’t be said that any person’s life from a different world is more special and meaningful. In other words, everyone has the potential to lead his/her own happy life in another culture. Pamuk, seems to be tacitly implying that The East and the West, though the history of the world, must or are destined to be closely interrelated and interact, and that the East could be the West and vice virsa. Pamuk once said that it doesn’t matter if he’s Oriental or European. It might be that the East and the West are ultimately something similar or alike, rather than opposite and contradictory, considering “the other self” motive, which is the most significant one this novel. What’s important is that we are all human-beings, who try to understand each other, before we are Eastern or Western. In conclusion, “The White Castle” is a novel that tries to seek and understand the identity of the East and the West through two characters from two different cultures, based on history, and at the same time an introspective novel on who we are, what we want, and how we can be happy. Pamuk’s claim that “The East shouldn’t be the East, and the West shouldn’t be the West” is the ultimate motive of the novel. As Sultan remarks “Probably one’s real ruin results from trying to imitate the other, thinking it is superior.”

The White Castle, Orhan Pamuk, Identity