Point of View

Apart from the epilogue, the novel is written entirely in the first person and is told from Cem’s perspective. The novel is written in the past tense and in a retrospective fashion, allowing both Cem and Pamuk to shape the narrative based on pre-determined overarching themes. After the events at Öngören, Cem becomes obsessed with the stories of Oedipus and Rostam, as they share strong parallels with his own life experience. The roots of these parallels mostly lie in Cem’s father’s disappearance and in the subsequent events at Öngören. Thus, after Cem’s father leaves, and after his experiences with Mahmut and Gülcihan, Cem becomes obsessed with these stories, and they shape how he views his life. Thus, he presents his life in such a way so as to emphasize the parallels. Even when not directly addressing these parallels...