ORHAN PAMUK

ORHAN PAMUK, (BORN JUNE 7, 1952, ISTANBUL, TURKEY), TURKISH

NOVELIST, BEST KNOWN FOR WORKS THAT PROBE TURKISH
IDENTITY AND HISTORY. HE WAS AWARDED THE NOBEL PRIZE
FOR LITERATURE IN 2006.
RAISED IN A WEALTHY AND WESTERN-ORIENTED FAMILY, PAMUK
ATTENDED ROBERT COLLEGE, AND WENT ON TO STUDY
ARCHITECTURE AT ISTANBUL TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY. AFTER
THREE YEARS HE DROPPED OUT AND DEVOTED HIMSELF FULL-
TIME TO WRITING. IN 1977 HE GRADUATED FROM THE UNIVERSITY
OF ISTANBUL WITH A DEGREE IN JOURNALISM. FROM 1985 TO 1988
HE LIVED IN THE UNITED STATES AND WAS A VISITING SCHOLAR
AT COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN NEW YORK AND THE UNIVERSITY OF
IOWA.
MANY OF PAMUK’S NOVELS, OFTEN AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL AND
INTRICATELY PLOTTED, SHOW AN UNDERSTANDING OF
TRADITIONAL TURKISH ISLAMIC CULTURE TEMPERED BY A BELIEF
THAT TURKEY’S FUTURE LIES IN THE WEST.
ONE OF HIS NOVEL IS KAR (MEANS SNOW IN ENGLISH IN 2002) A
TURKISH POET LIVING IN EXILE IN GERMANY FACES THE TENSIONS
BETWEEN EAST AND WEST WHEN HE TRAVELS TO A POOR TOWN
IN A REMOTE AREA OF TURKEY.
 UNFAMILIAR WORDS
• TOW

-PULL ALONG WITH A ROPE, CHAIN, OR TOW BAR

• BALLY

-A RAG THAT COVERS YOUR FACE SUCH AS BANDANNA OR BALACLAVA

• PEERED

-TO LOOK NARROWLY OR CURIOSLY

• WRETCHED

-DEEPLY AFFLICTED, DEJECTED, OR DISTRESSED IN BODY OR MIND

• SUBURBS

-AN OUTLYING PART OF A CITY OR TOWN

• OPTIMISM

-A DOCTRINE THAT HIS WORLD IS THE BEST POSSIBLE WORLD

• SCUMMED

-HOW SOMEONE FEELS AFTER GETTING:RIPPED OFF, OR TAKEN ADVANTAGE

• REVERIE

-A DAYDREAM

• LINGERING

-TO REMAIN EXISTENT ALTHOUGH OFTEN WANING IN STRENGTH, IMPORTANCE, OR INFLUENCE

• BLIZZARD

-A LONG SEVERE SNOWSTORM

THE SILENCE OF
SNOW
BY: ORHAN PAMUK
(TURKEY)
THE SILENCE OF SNOW, THOUGHT THE MAN SITTING JUST BEHIND
THE BUS DRIVER. IF THIS WERE THE BEGINNING OF A POEM, HE
WOULD HAVE CALLED THE THING HE FELT INSIDE HIM THE
SILENCE OF SNOW.
HE`D BOARDED THE BUS FROM ERUZUM TO KARS WITH ONLY
SECONDS TO SPARE. HE`D JUST COME INTO THE SITUATION ON A
BUS FROM ISTANBUL A SNOWY, STORMY, TWO-DAY JOURNEY AND
WAS RUSHING UP AND DOWN THE DIRTY CORRIDORS WITH HIS
BAG IN TOW, LOOKING FOR HIS CONNECTION, WHEN SOMEONE
TOLD HIM THE BUS FOR KARS WAS LEAVING IMMEDIATELY
HE`D MANAGED TO FIND IT, AN ANCIENT MAGIRUS, BUT THE CONDUCTOR HAD JUST SHUT THE
LUGGAGE COMPARTMENT AND, BEING “IN A HURRY”, REFUSED TO OPEN IT AGAIN. THAT`S
WHY OUR TRAVELER HAD TAKEN HIS BAG ON BOARD WITH HIM; THE BIG DARK-RED BALLY
VALISE WAS NOW WEDGED BETWEEN HIS LEGS. HE WAS SITTING NEXT TO THE WINDOW AND
WEARING A THICK CHARCOAL COAT HE`D BOUGHT AT A FRANKFURT KAUFHOF FIVE YEARS
EARLIER. WE SHOULD NOTE STRAIGHTAWAY THAT THIS SOFT, DOWNY BEAUTY OF A COAT
WOULD CAUSE HIM THE SHAME AND DISQUIET DURING THE DAYS HE WAS TO SPEND IN
KARS. WHILE ALSO FURNISHING A SENSE OF SECURITY

AS SOON AS THE BUS SET OFF, OUR TRAVELER GLUED HIS EYES TO THE WINDOW NEXT TO
HIM; PERHAPS HOPING TO SEE SOMETHING NEW, HE PEERED INTO THE WRETCHED LITTLE
SHOPS AND BAKERIES AND BROKEN-DOWN COFFESHOPS THAT LINED THE STREETS OF
ERZURUM`S OUTLYING SUBURBS, AND AS HE DID IT BEGAN TO SNOW. IT WAS HEAVIER AND
THICKER THAN THE SNOW HE`D SEEN BETWEEN ISTANBUL AND ERZURUM. IF HE HADN`T
BEEN SO TIRED, IF HE`D PAID A BIT MORE ATTENTION TO THE SNOWFLAKES SWIRLING OUT
THEE SKY LIKE FEATHERS, HE MIGHT HAVE REALIZED HE WAS TRAVELING STRAIGHT INTO A
BLIZZARD; HE MIGHT HAVE SEEN AT THE START THAT HE WAS SETTING OUT ON A JOURNEY
THAT WOULD CHANGE HIS LIFE FOREVER AND CHOSEN TO TURN BAC K
BUT THE THOUGHT DIDN’T EVEN CROSS HIS MIND. AS EVENING FELL, HE
LOST HIMSELF IN THE LIGHT STILL LINGERING IN THE SKY ABOVE; IN THE
SNOWFLAKES WHIRLING EVER MORE WILDLY IN THE WIND HE SAW
NOTHING OF THE IMPENDING BLIZZARD BUT RATHER A PROMISE, A SIGN
POINTING THE WAY BACK TO THE HAPPINESS AND PURITY HE HAD
KNOWN, ONCE AS A CHILD . OUR TRAVELER SPENT HIS YEARS OF
HAPPINESS AND CHILDHOOD IN ISTANBUL; HE`D RETURNED A WEEK
AGO, FOR THE FIRST TIME IN TWELVE YEARS, TO ATTEND HIS MOTHER`S
FUNERAL, AND HAVING STAYED THERE FOUR DAYS HE DECIDED TO
TAKE THIS TRIP TO KARS. YEARS LATER, HE WOULD STILL RECALL THE
EXTRAORDINARY BEAUTY OF THE SNOW THAT NIGHT; THE HAPPINESS IT
BROUGHT HIM WAS FAR GREATER THAN ANY HE`D KNOWN IN ISTANBUL
HE WAS A POET AND, AS HE HIMSELF HAD WRITTEN IN AN EARLY POEM
STILL LARGELY UNKNOWN TO TURKISH READERS IT SNOWS ONLY ONCE IN
OUR DREAMS
KA, A POET AND A TURKISH POLITICAL EXILE, RETURNS TO TURKEY FROM GERMANY
AFTER 12 YEARS. UPON A FRIEND'S ADVICE HE DECIDES TO UNDERTAKE A LIFE
CHANGING JOURNEY TO KARS, A SLEEPY LITTLE TOWN ON THE EASTERN BORDER,
POSING AS A JOURNALIST. A SUICIDE EPIDEMIC HAS BROKEN OUT AMONG THE YOUNG
GIRLS OF KARS AND A MUNICIPAL ELECTION IS ON THE CARDS. THE STORY IS BEING
TOLD IN THIRD PERSON BY A CLOSE FRIEND OF KA'S LONG AFTER THE EVENTS HAVE
ACTUALLY TAKEN PLACE.

THE GIRLS OF KARS ARE FORBIDDEN FROM WEARING HEADSCARVES IN THE

UNIVERSITY AND THIS ALONG WITH OTHER FORMS OF ILL TREATMENT METED OUT TO
THEM HAS LED TO THE EPIDEMIC. A SNOW BLIZZARD ENGULFS THE CITY AND BREAKS
ALL MODES OF COMMUNICATION AND TRANSPORT FROM THE REST OF THE WORLD. KA
HIMSELF IS REUNITED WITH AN OLD CRUSH FROM COLLEGE, IPEK, AND FALLS IN LOVE
WITH HER. HER SISTER, KADIFE, IS THE LEADER OF THE HEADSCARF GIRLS, WHO
REFUSE TO GIVE UP THIER RIGHT TO RELIGION. KADIFE IS ALSO IN LOVE WITH AN
(ALLEGED) ISLAMIST TERRORIST CALLED BLUE.
KA AND IPEK WITNESS THE MURDER OF THE EDUCATION DIRECTOR OF THE LOCAL
UNIVERSITY, THE MAN BEHIND THE BAN ON HEADSCARVES. BLUE'S INVOLMENT IN THE
MURDER IS WIDELY RUMOURED AND KA FINDS HIMSELF SURROUNDED BY POLITICAL
CONTROVERSIES. ALSO A WRITERS BLOCK THAT HE HAS BEEN SUFFERING FROM SUDDENLY
GETS LIFTED AND SEVERAL BEAUTIFUL POEMS START 'COMING' TO HIM. THE LOVE BETWEEN
KA AND IPEK DEVELOPS FURTHER AND HE STARTS HARBOURING DREAMS OF A HAPPY LIFE
AHEAD WITH IPEK BACK IN GERMANY. THOUGH HE IS A LONG TIME ATHEIST, NEWLY FOUND
LOVE, THE POLITICO-CULTURAL UNREST AND THE 'DIVINE' POEMS CONFUSE HIM AND HE
STARTS LOOKING FOR ANSWERS IN RELIGION. A BUDDING FRIENDSHIP WITH A RELIGIOUS
STUDENT NECIP (WHO INTERESTINGLY IS BENDING TOWARDS ATHEISM HIMSELF) ALSO
HELPS.

A REVOLUTIONARY THEATRE GROUP HAS ALSO ARRIVED IN THE CITY AND THEY STAGE A
PLAY WHICH BECOMES A FRONT FOR A MILITARY COUP AND AN ARMY TAKEOVER OF KARS
TO PREVENT AN ISLAMIST VICTORY IN THE FORTHCOMING ELECTIONS. NECIP IS KILLED IN THE
COUP. MANY RELIGIOUS STUDENTS ARE ARRESTED AND TORTURED. IN THE COURSE OF
EVENTS, BLUE IS ARRESTED AS WELL AND IS SENTENCED TO DEATH BY THE NEW REGIME.
THE MASTERMIND BEHIND THIS COUP, SUNAY ZAIM, IS A FORGOTTEN THEATRE PERSONALITY
WHO HAS IDEAS OF HIS OWN. HE DECIDES TO STAGE ANOTHER PLAY AND BROADCAST IT ON
LOCAL TELEVISION AND WANTS KADIFE TO REMOVE HER HEADSACRF IN IT AS A POLITICAL
STATEMENT. IN RETURN HE IS READY TO RELEASE BLUE. HE CHOOSES KA TO ACT AS AN
ARBITRATOR IN THIS DEAL AND THREATENS HIM WITH ARREST IF HE DOES NOT COMPLY.
SCARED OF LOSING HIS NEW FOUND HAPPINESS, KA FALLS IN WITH THE PLAN. EVENTUALLY
HE BROKERS A DEAL AND BLUE IS RELEASED AND HE HIDES AT A SECRET LOCATION. NOW
HOWEVER BLUE CHANGES HIS MIND AND SENDS FOR KA ONCE AGAIN. HE TELLS KA THAT HE
NO LONGER WANTS KADIFE TO BARE HER HEAD.

WHEN KA IS ON HIS WAY BACK FROM BLUE'S SECRET HIDEOUT THE SECRET POLICE OF
TURKEY, THE MIT, TAKES HIM IN AND INTERROGATES HIM ON THE WHEREABOUTS OF BLUE.
WHEN KA FEIGNS IGNORANCE THEY TELL KA THAT IPEK WAS IN A RELATIONSHIP WITH BLUE
AND IS STILL IN TOUCH. THEY THEN RELEASE HIM. HEARTBROKEN, HE RETURNS TO HIS
HOTEL WHERE HE ASKS IPEK IF WHAT THE MIT HAS TOLD HIM IS TRUE. IPEK CONCEDES THAT
SHE WAS ONCE IN LOVE WITH HIM BUT DENIES ANY CONTACT NOW WHATSOEVER.
MEANWHILE, PREPARATIONS ARE UNDERWAY FOR THE PLAY AND IPEK AND HER FATHER
PLEAD WITH KA TO GO AND STOP KADIFE FROM PERFORMING IN IT. KA AGREES AND TRIES
TO PERSUADE KADIFE BUT SHE DECIDES THAT SHE WILL BARE HER HEAD AFTER ALL. KA
MAKES HIS WAY BACK TO THE HOTEL BUT IS APPREHENDED BY THE ARMY ON THE WAY. THE
BLIZZARD BEING OVER, THE TRANSPORT LINKS HAVE OPENED AGAIN AND THE ARMY
DECIDE TO SEND KA AWAY FOR GOOD. KA SENDS WORD TO IPEK TO REACH THE RAILWAY
STATION DIRECTLY. IPEK RECIEVES THE MESSAGE AND BEGINS PREPARATIONS FOR
LEAVING. THEN SHE RECIEVES A MESSAGE THAT BLUE HAS BEEN FOUND OUT AND
MURDERD BY THE SECRET POLICE. CONVINCED THAT KA HAS GIVEN HIM AWAY OUT OF
JEALOUSY, IPEK DECIDES TO STAY AND KA HAS TO LEAVE WITHOUT HER. HE SPENDS THE
REST OF HIS LIFE IN GERMANY A DEJECTED MAN. FOUR YEARS LATER HE IS ASSASINATED
BY A TURKISH ISLAMIST GROUP WHICH HOLDS HIM RESPONSIBLE FOR BLUE'S FATE.

ORHAN (PROBABLY THE AUTHOR HIMSELF), THE NARRATOR, DECIDES TO FIND OUT THE
'DIVINE' POEMS THAT KA WROTE WHILE IN KARS AND ALSO FIND OUT WHETHER KA HAD
REALLY SOLD BLUE OUT. HE VISITS FRANKFURT AND THEN KARS. HE IS UNABLE TO FIND
THE POEMS BUT DISCOVERS THAT KA HAD INDEED BEEN THE PERSON BECAUSE OF WHOM
BLUE DIED. AS A FAREWELL TO HIS FRIEND, ORHAN DECIDES TO WRITE A BOOK ON HIS
JOURNEY TO KARS.
 MORAL LESSON

EVERY PERSON HAVE THEIR

OWN SNOWFLAKES BECAUSE WE
HAVE DIFFERENT BELIEFS
THANK YOU FOR
LISTENING
 QUIZ
1. WHEN DID ORHAN PAMUK WROTE THE THE SILENCE OF THE SNOW?
2. WHO KILLED KA?
3. WHO IS THE NARRATOR OF THE NOVEL?
4. WHAT IS THE SETTING OF THE NOVEL?
5. WHY DID HE WANT TO GO IN KARS?
6. WHY DID BLUE ARRESTED?
7. WHAT KIND OF PRIZE ORHAN PAMUK WON ON THIS NOVEL?
8. WHAT IS THE MORAL LESSON OF THE NOVEL?
9. WHO IS THE RELIGIOUS STUDENT AND INTERESTINGLY BENDING THE ATHEISM?
10. WHO IS THE LEADER OF THE HEADSCARF GIRLS?
11. WHO IS THE MASTERMIND OF THE COUP?
12. WHO IS THE POET AND TURKIST POLITICAL EXILE?
13. WHAT IS THE MEANING OF KAR?
14. WHO IS THE EX- HUSBAND OF IPEK?
15.