Setting

Snow begins in Istanbul and Ka is going back for the first time to attend his mother's funeral. He then travels to Kars to report on the current elections and the "suicide girls" as well as find Ipek. While on his way to Kars it begins to snow and it continues throughout the novel. When Ka first arrives he writes very fondly of the snow and thinks of it as a memory but as it continues snowing it seems to begin to weigh him down. Throughout his stay in Kars Ka stays at the Snow Palace because he knows that is where he can find Ipek. Once he begins traveling around Kars he begins to see all of the politics involved in all of the businesses. One day he goes to the newspaper printer and reads an article that was already written about him, and he had not even gone to the play, another day he goes to the pastry shop and sees a man get shot that he later finds out is the education director. He finds out from going to all of these places that even places that are rarely visited are full of activity.

Art and Snow

Art is a broad category that can include everything from poetry to sculpture. In the novel Snow, poetry is the number one form of art, but that is discussed in another section. Theater also plays an important role. The only time the National Theater did live broadcasts was when a play was being preformed. A coup occurred after a particularly controversial play when the religious students were offended by the content. Ka was advised many times to keep a low profile so as not to be killed for writing poems. Danger is irrevocably associated with art because art embodies opinion. This can clearly be seen in the last play by Sunay Zaim. Sunay is shot (planned by Sunay himself) and Kadife bears her head, all in the name of art (well, perhaps not the latter).

            Art is treated with hostility throughout the novel, and we believe this is because it expresses ideas and opinions that some see threatening to their way of life. Pamuk, however, doesn’t want art to be seen this way, and through this novel he manages it. 

ED

Music and Snow

Music doesn’t play an extremely important role in the book Snow, but it is mentioned from time to time. Near the end of the novel, Funda (an actress) sings “a folk song about a woman who’d been raped, an engaging number to make up for earlier parts of the drama that the audience had found too intellectual or otherwise obscure.” (434) This implies that music can be understood by everyone, but can also teach important lessons and tell stories.

            Ka also tells us that a Turkish song he hears in a café reminds him longingly of his childhood. Music can trigger memories and emotions. Poetry and music often go hand in hand since music usually rhymes, like many poems. Our group believes that music can tell us a lot about the culture of a society. Here is some traditional Turkish music for your enjoyment.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LykxXax2rxM

ED

Character Bridge Map

Ipek /\ Sara Jessica Paker RF: Love same man
Kadife Claire Danes

~L.J.

Biographical Information

The author Orhan Pamuk was born into a wealty family in Istanbul in 19521.

Many of his novels take place in Istanbul and in two of his novels he used families that are very similar to his own.

He wanted to be an artist until the age of 22 and spent most of his childhood painting.

He spent three years studying architecture at Istanbul Technical University and dropped out to pursue a degree in journalism.

At the age of 23 Pamuk decided to become a novelist.

He has published six books: The White Castle, The Black Book, The New Life, My Name is Red, Snow, and Istanbul: Memories of a city

Other than for three years in New York Pamuk has always lived in Istanbul and is now living in the same building where he was raised.

He was awarded the Prix Mediterenee etranger and the Prix Medecis for Snow.

He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2006.

CK

Religion

Throughout the novel, Ka is confused about his religion. "It's because I'm solitary that I can't believe in God. And because I can't believe in God, I can't escape from solitude. What should i do?" (104) Ka believes he feels lonely because God doesn't exist to be there for him. But because he didn't believe in God, he felt really lonely. Ka had a conversation with a man named Mesut. Ka explained, "The snow reminds me of God" and Mesut responded, "Yes, but do you believe that God created snow?...You're not giving me an answer. If a person knows and loves God, he never doubts God's existence. It seems to me that you're not giving me an answer because you're too timid to admit that you're an atheist" (89)

Religion also came up with young women throughout the novel. In the beginning of the novel, women were forbidden to take of their head scarfs. The government considered it a sin if they did. The girls didn't know how to escape from society so they resorted to committing suicide. By the end of the novel, there were plays where women were forced to take off their head scarf. One including Ipek's sister Kadife.

~L.J.

Other Themes

-In Snow, written Orhan Pamuk there are many hidden themes

- Pamuk reviles the art of patience, Ka only waits three days for a girl he was been waiting years to have. Ka has little patience and it effects his future with Ipek.

- "Good things come to those who wait" Ka never learned patience. He expected Ipek to move away from her family and her home in three days.

-For example, Christmas morning is so exciting as a child because you spend 25 days preparing for it. 25 days of anticipation.

- Pamuk focuses on the theme of happiness throughout the novel.

-"Life's not about principles, it's about happiness" (338).

- Love is another hidden theme.

-Love for Frankfurt. No matter how bad the conditions of Kars were, most residents vowed to stay there. There was a indescribable peace about the lonely, poor and broken city.

-Love for poetry.

-Love for Ipek. Ka stayed in Frankfurt for three days in hopes to return with Ipek. He goes to extremes to get Ipek to notice him. Ka feels a love so strong that is takes his through the highest and lowest points in his life.

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Plot Summary

Ka returns to Kars (Turkey) after political exile in Germany and pretends to be a journalist.

Reunites with Ipek. Her father is the owner of the hotel where Ka is staying.

Ipek and Ka witness murder of the Director of the Institute of Education by a Muslim extremist.

Ka has first run in with police. Ka questioned, Muhtar beaten. Ka begins to write poetry again.

Led to Blue (Kadife’s lover and an Muslim radical) by religious student Necip who later dies in the theater. Coup starts.

Coup cannot be stopped because of snow and Ka is sent to Blue to tell him he will get a paper to denounce coup if Blue can get support from non-Islamists.

Turget Bey attends meeting to create a statement denouncing the coup to send to European press.

Blue taken by Nationalists and Ka strikes deal with Sunay Zaim to release Blue if Kadife bears her head on stage.

Ka discovers that Ipek and Blue had a relationship and becomes jealous.

Ka is taken by military and sent out of town. Ipek receives news that Blue and Hande were shot. Blames Ka.

Kadife continues with play and “accidentally” shoots Zaim. The coup is subdued.

The narrator, Orhan Pamuk, describes his search for information concerning Ka’s life. Ipek still believes Ka betrayed Blue.

ED

Character of Ipek

~L.J.

Character of Ka

~L.J.

Poetry Connections

- Ka wrote 19 peoms totally. Thats roughly 6 peoms a day.

- Poetry=Happiness. To Ka his happiness was judged by the amount of poems written in a given day. Maybe Ka felt this way because he felt happiest when he was able to express how he felt, with out damaging or hurting any of his relationships with others.

-Ka also used poetry as a way to express how beautiful his surroundings were.

- His peoms were never found but Pamuk describes how each poem is directly related to events going on in his life.

- Poems were important for Ka because it was his way of measuring happiness, if he a poem had not "come to" in a while he would find something wrong going on in his life.

-Poems are important to us because they are a way to express yourself. Some people express themselves through art, some through dance and others through singing.

-Find the voice within. Its their, it just needs to find a way to escape.