소설 『내 마음의 낯섦』에 나타난 터키 음식 문화의 표상과 의미 연구

A Study on Representation and Significance of Turkish Culinary Culture Shown in the Novel A Strangeness in My Mind

Orhan Pamuk, the writer hailing from Istanbul, chose his birthplace as the spatial background for the novel A Strangeness in My Mind. While his previous novels focused on the middle and upper classes of Istanbul, this work stands out by centering on the poor people dealing with urbanization and modernization. The main structure of the novel follows the story of Mevlut, who was born in a poor town in Anatolia, in the central region of Turkey. Through his eventful life, we look at the changes in Turkey and Istanbul along with the social aspects such as political and cultural conflicts by using “boza”, a traditional fermented beverage, as a pivot. The culinary culture has deep relations with society’s history and culture, which makes it a significant subject in the cultural study analyzing political, economic, social, and religious implications. A Strangeness in My Mind uses “boza” to present the tale of colorful Turkish cuisine together with modern Turkish history stained with social chaos such as military coups and conflicts with Kurds. The novel makes associations between food and the characters, the events, and the dishes, to describe their unique traits, and employs culinary metaphors to express people’s thoughts and intentions. Boza, in particular, serves as metaphor for several themes: the disputes between Islam and secularism, nostalgia for fading traditions, and for Mevlut, a confrontation with himself and introspection.