The White Castle Summary

The White Castle Overview

Orhan Pamuk's multi-layered narrative begins with a preface that frames the story: Faruk Darvinoğlu, a Turkish encyclopedist, published a book, called The White Castle, that reflects a 17th-century manuscript he discovered in the governor's archive. He revised it while updating the language for publication. The original author of this manuscript remains a mystery, as does the reason for the Turk's obsession with the manuscript. Integrating somewhat accurate historical events and historical characters into a fictional narrative, Pamuk explores the phenomenon of identity formation and self-reflection, together with the encounter between East (Turkey) and West (Europe), and a study of what humans are capable of during wartime.