“I was he and he was I”: Mimetic Study of Orhan Pamuk’s The White Castle

Abstract

This study analyses Orhan Pamuk's The White Castle (1985) through the lens of René Girard's mimetic desire. The research investigates how people’s mimetic inclinations are the fundamental cause of the East-West conflict, proposing that the relationship between these two regions is deeply rooted in mimesis. By analysing the characters and their interactions, this study reveals societal interaction on the individual and societal levels. Moreover, this paper demonstrates that Pamuk’s characters can be understood as Girardian subjects, which is demonstrated through the shift in their identities. The significance of this study lies in its innovative approach to understanding Pamuk's literary oeuvre and its contributions to the broader discourse on cultural dynamics between the East and West through a mimetic lens. By applying Girard's mimetic theory, the research offers fresh insights into the characters' shifting identities and motivations, guided by processes of imitation, which have been previously overlooked in the existing literature.