A convolution of east and west: intertwining multicultural worlds

Many Eastern European countries, especially Russia and Turkey, share a common characterization of the so-called “torn countries”, a term first used by Samuel Huntington in 1993. Torn countries are those territories situated on the boundary of two different civilizations, West and East, sharing characteristics of both worlds while struggling to identify with either of them completely. While the individuals in these societies may choose one civilization over the other, their societies suffer from a significant socio-cultural difference within the civilizations, reflecting the individual as a major confusion over their identity. The best expressions of such identity struggles can be seen in the literary masterpieces of torn countries. This paper’s primary purpose is to compare Orhan Pamuk and Fyodor Dostoevsky’s selected works to identify some common themes between the two authors. Snow, İstanbul, Other Colors and Nights of Plague by Pamuk and Demons, Crime and Punishment and The Idiot by Dostoevsky form the basis of this comparison. Pamuk and Dostoevsky’s novels function as testimonials that Russian and Turkish cultural histories share many commonalities as torn countries. Comparing these authors’ selected works would allow readers to glimpse some of the themes cross-cutting Russian and Turkish cultures and show them how the two countries fared in the past two centuries against dominant political and social movements.