Istanbul: Memories and the City, by Prhan Pamuk Essay -- Yahya Kemal, A

Orhan Pamuk’s Istanbul: Memories and the City is an iridescent evocation of Istanbul’s fate, history, and cultural diversity recollected in the form of memories, allowing the readers to connect with Pamuk’s life experiences. The above is made possible through the use of both, past as well as present, which co-exist as a centerpiece in this memoir. To begin with, memories add a flavour of perceived thought about what the past holds dear to us and are therefore synonymous to history, helping to retell the author’s story, who wishes to convert each and every reader into an artist and commentator of the history of Istanbul. History is something written by ordinary people based on the biases of available data and at times, it is this ideology which casts a magic, stimulating us to revisit the past through our memories. Pamuk showcases history using an individualistic approach, interpreting Istanbul by means of his own thoughts which are original, and correct the existing incongruences put forward by other writers during that period of time. In all, the narrator takes the readers as a ‘tourist guide’ through the by lanes and shadowy corridors of Istanbul, motivating them to conceive their thoughts about the place. Memories can be defined as all of the precious moments which were lived by the author. He portrays a new instance every time, inviting the readers’ to indulge themselves in a ceaseless wave of emotions and experiences which have skillfully been exposed till the very end of this text. For example, Orhan’s memory about religious beliefs wherein he imagines God as a female stereotype wearing a white scarf, describing Her as a rare sight around human beings. Looking at the following lines, â€Å"Even so, whenever I am in a crowd, ... ...eal football matches using marbles, giving each piece a name with respect to the best player of the match. Also, they would constantly comment on the game, imitating how it’s done on live television. This not only showed their attachment to the game in particular, but also to each other. Orhan always imagined the atmosphere to be pulsating, and it was this excitement which transforms into reality, thereby taking the form of memories. Works Cited †¢ Istanbul: Memories and the City by Orhan Pamuk, Published: 2005 †¢ Matossian, Nouritza. "He's Still the Top Dog in Turkey." The Observer. Guardian News and Media, 17 Apr. 2005. Web. 20 Oct. 2013. . †¢ "Mirroring Istanbul." Global Perspectives on Orhan Pamuk. Ed. Mehnaz M. Afridi and David M. Buyze. N.p.: n.p., n.d. N. pag. Print.