An Attempt at Challenging Orientalism: Primo Türk Çocuğu (Primo: A Turkish Boy)

Authors : Faruk Dündar

Pages : 57-66

View : 18 | Download : 13

Publication Date : 2025-06-30

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :This article comprehensively addresses the identity conflicts between the person and society, the cultural transformations, and the impacts of Orientalism in Ömer Seyfettin\\\'s story, Primo Türk Çocuğu (Primo: A Turkish Boy). Through the characters of Kenan Bey and Grazia, the story portrays the cultural transformation experienced by Ottoman society during the Westernization process and its effects on people. Kenan Bey\\\'s Western-centric education in Paris shapes his worldview and value system, leading him to distance himself from his own cultural identity and experience an identity crisis. While trying to adapt to the modernization ideals of the West, Kenan Bey experiences conflicts resulting from his separation from his roots. This identity crisis goes beyond being a personal issue and reflects a broader cultural crisis occurring within the society. In the context of Orientalism, Edward Said\\\'s concept of the “other” plays a significant role in the story. The tendency of the West to view the East as a backward region exacerbates Kenan Bey\\\'s identity crisis. The character of Grazia represents this Orientalist mindset, exhibiting a hostile attitude towards Turkish culture and glorifying the superiority of the West. Grazia\\\'s stance illustrates that the process of Westernization leads to serious conflicts even within the family. On the other hand, Primo, another key character in the story, resists these Orientalist discourses and embraces his Turkish identity. Primo\\\'s inner transformation symbolizes the challenges people face in their search for identity and, ultimately, their desire to return to their cultural roots. Although it is inevitable for people to interact with different cultural values in the age of globalization, the necessity of holding onto one\\\'s cultural identity is emphasized in the story. Kenan Bey\\\'s identity crisis and Primo\\\'s transformation highlight the importance of people and societies maintaining their values and cultural heritage in their search for identity.
Keywords : Primo Türk Çocuğu, Ömer Seyfettin, Oryantalizm.

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