Intertextuality in Hasan Ali Toptaş‘ Novel „Beni Kör Kuyularda"

Abstract

In this study, Hasan Ali Toptas's novel Beni Kör Kuyularda, in 2019, is tried to be examined “intertextuality”, which is a postmodern discourse. The novel, which takes place in a shantytown of Ankara in the mundane of daily life, begins to make intertextual references from the cover art. “Intertextuality” becomes one of the most important elements of modernism and postmodernism movements, especially in literary works produced in the twentieth century, as the understanding and interpretation of a written text through its relationship to other texts. The fact that Hasan Ali Toptas's novel was primarily inspired by his other novel Uykuların Dogusu, highlights the intertextuality of postmodernism. There is no study on “intertextuality” on its own, so with this study aimed to help those who want to work on “intertextuality” and Beni Kör Kuyularda by contributing to the dissemination of the study to wider areas. The title of the novel also refers to the poem Beni Kör Kuyularda Merdivensiz Bıraktın written by Ümit Yasar Oguzcan for his son who committed suicide at a young age. Also, Emil Michel Cioran's word “Who dares to call himself alive when he has achieved salvation?” is in the introductory part of the work. A scene from Nuri Bilge Ceylan's movie Ahlat Agacı, a similar story, was chosen for the cover art of the work. In addition to these, it is possible to see the traces of Italio Calvino's work The Rampant Baron. Therefore, this study shows the novel is handled on an intertextuality of postmodernism.